"Healthcare Infra At The Stage Of Imminent Collapse": Delhi High Court Directs Govt. To State Beds, Oxygen Availability On Affidavit

Expressing concern over the unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases in the capital, with the capital registering more than 25,000 cases in a day, the Delhi High Court expressing concern over the situation said that, "It is evident that the healthcare infrastructure is at the stage of imminent collapse."Taking special note of the condition of daily wage workers who have been affected by the pandemic, the bench of Justices Rekha Palli and Vipin Sanghi also directed the Delhi government to provide food to daily wagers at their worksite and to utilise the service of mid-day meal contractors towards this end.The court was hearing a petition by Advocate Rakesh Malhotra who moved Court over the alleged pressure on testing laboratories from the government to submit reports within 24 hours of testing, and over the shortage of oxygen for critical care patients.Responding, the Court said, "It's not like they are deliberately delaying reports. Everything is stretched because capacities are not there. Capacities are now being created. Let us try to deal with the situation in a positive way. It is not adversarial."Sanghi added, "There is unending flood of people. They are testing nearly 700 people per day and the situation is driving everyone crazy. Putting the condition - it's not humanly possible."Defending the government's decision, counsel for the Delhi government Rahul Mehra, said that there is an unprecedented spike, and therefore the government has to take various significant steps."If the government says there are no limits, there might be some that'll take advantage of the situation, and it will spill over to 3rd or 4th day," he explained.Adv Malhotra on the other hand stated that while he was not blaming any government, the statement that labs would be banned for holding reports for more than 24 hrs was pushing labs to not conduct tests/collect samples. He prayed that this limit be made 48 hours.The court asked Mehra, "If such a threat is actually issued, is this the way to deal with it? What does the doctor have to gain of this? He has to produce 1000 reports per day, otherwise the system will choke."Malhotra also highlighted the issue of limited supply of oxygen, stating that those in ICU would suffer seriously, and that in the city's dedicated Covid-19 hospital, Gangaram, this problem was already there.Mehra orally informed the court that although the Central Government had already taken certain steps for oxygen supply, providing a schedule ensuring supply of 300 MT of oxygen per day starting Apr 20, they would be requesting for upto 700 MT. He informed that the Chief Minister has also written to the Union Minister for Power in this regard.On the situation of beds, Malhotra informed the Court that in AIIMS, Delhi, out of 2500 only 266 beds were given for Covid-19 and this number ought to be increased.Upon which the counsel for Central Government, Monika Arora informed that "steps taken to increase beds were being taken everywhere, not just in hospitals."The court has directed both governments to clarify on affidavit the availability of beds with and without ventilator and with and without oxygen, as well as availability of oxygen, by tomorrow.

"Healthcare Infra At The Stage Of Imminent Collapse": Delhi High Court Directs Govt. To State Beds, Oxygen Availability On Affidavit

Shreya Agarwal

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