Covid-19: Consider Enhancing Supply Of Medical Oxygen & Remdesivir To Rajasthan: High Court Tells Centre

The direction was made by a Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur upon being informed by the AAG that requisitions which are sent by the State to the High Power Committee are not being fulfilled adequately.

It was informed that Rajasthan has a demand of 20,000 Remdesivir injections per day, whereas it has been allotted only about 14,000 vials for the period April 21 till May 9.

Accordingly, the Bench observed,

"We request the high power committee of the Govt. of India to consider for allotting oxygen to the State of Rajasthan source in Rajasthan or near about in order to save the time of transportation.

We also request the high power committee to consider forenhancing the remdesivir injection and other life saving drugs tomeet the demand of the State."

The High Court has also made an appeal to the non-residents of Rajasthan to make contribution by providing the need of medicines and medical equipment at this time of grave need and necessity.

Additionally, it has asked the State Government to strengthen the medical infrastructure in rural areas to reduce the burden being faced by city hospitals.

The order stated,

"The Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Community Health Centers (CHCs), which are located in the rural areas of the State are required to be strengthened by supplying requisite infrastructure as well as the medicines so that the rural population, which is otherwise coming to the cities, will reduce the pressure on the bigger hospitals of the cities of the State.

State Government may consider the option of having teleconferencing of the doctors located in the PHCs and CHCs with the higher centers so that expert opinions can be provided to those doctors immediately for the treatment of the patients admitted in the rural areas."

In its previous order, the High Court had asked the State authorities to make available the position of beds on their website on a "Real Time Basis". It had also asked the State Government to consider taking the services of final year students as well as PG courses students of MBBS/Post Graduation for the doctors and likewise for the nursing staff for their deployment on the emergent basis if they are suitable in all respects to serve the general public at large.

Covid-19: Rajasthan High Court Issues Directions For Real Time Updates On Hospital Beds; Local Production Of Oxygen; Deployment Of Medical Staff

On Friday, the Rajasthan Government submitted that requisite directions have been issued in view of Court's order.

"We hope and expect that the State shall comply with the directions issued by this Court at the earliest…

Although best efforts are being made to utilize the available resources, but we fell that the requisite efforts are not sufficient and further efforts need to be made to meet the prevailing situation and the situation which is likely to arise in the State of Rajasthan because of pandemic," the Court said.

Case Title: Surendra Jain v. State of Rajasthan & Ors.

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