Oxygen Shortage: Patna High Court Directs Govt To Submit Plan Of Action; Seeks Report On Availability Of ICU Beds, Ventilators

A Division Bench of Justices CS Singh and Mohit Kumar Shah has issued directions to the State authorities to present a vivid picture of availability and the mode and manner in which the State-Respondents have planned to supply oxygen to different Hospitals.

The issue has come to the fore in the light of demise of a Court officer, reportedly because of unavailability of oxygen at Covid hospitals.

The Bench was informed that due to paucity of oxygen cylinder and other life-saving drug i.e. Remedesivir and Oral Tablet Favipiravir, the hospital in question is not admitting new critical patients and is directing already admitted patients in need of critical care to go to higher centers.

Calling the situation to be horrific, the Division Bench has directed the Additional Solicitor General for India to seek instructions from the Central Government as to what immediate and effective steps can be taken to ensure proper and effective supply of oxygen to various hospitals in the State of Bihar.

"Court intends to have a vivid picture of availability and the mode and manner in which the State-Respondents have planned to supply oxygen to different DCHCs and DCH so as to address one of the core issues relating to non-availability of oxygen in various hospitals including private hospitals, which has serious consequences qua the treatment of COVID patients," the Bench said.

It has also Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing the State of Bihar, to seek detailed instructions from the Government in respect of the effective steps which have been taken and are proposed to be taken to tide over the situation arising out of reported acute shortage of medicinal oxygen.

"Let a report be submitted to this Court by the Health Department, Government of Bihar stating clearly the present status of number of beds available for COVID-19 patients in different CCCs, DCHCs and DCHs, showing the number of beds which are equipped with oxygen, ICU beds and number of ventilators available and to what extent the number of such beds, is proposed to be increased, category wise," the Bench has ordered.

Inter alia, it has issued following directions:

• Rate of RTPCR tests in the State is required to be considerably enhanced
• Health Department, Government of Bihar and the State Health Society to look into the gaps pointed out and the suggestions made in the joint report of the Director, AIIMS, Patna and the Secretary, BHRC for providing adequate facilities in the other DCHCs and DCHs as well.

Also Read: RT-PCR Tests Not Being Done At Desired Rate; Illicit Trade Of Remdesivir Injection: Patna High Court Expresses Serious Concern Over Covid Management In Bihar

Case Title: Shivani Kaushik v. Union of India & Ors.

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