Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Plea Seeking COVID Specialized Maternal Care Centers In Hospitals For Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers

The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a petition for ensuring availability of COVID-19 protocol compliant specialized maternal care centres in all hospitals in the national capital for the benefit of pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Justice Rekha Palli sought response of the Centre and the Delhi Government and granted two weeks' time to file counter affidavits.

The plea has been filed by 4 pregnant women, all in the 3rd trimester of their pregnancy, who faced severe impediments in accessing basic health facilities through government hospitals and health centers during the ongoing pandemic.

Arguing that pregnant women were deprived of their right to health and safe motherhood, the plea seeks directions on respondents to provide critical services and entitlements mandated by law to them during their pregnancy, delivery and post-partum period as also for immediately releasing PMMVY (Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana) entitlements amount due to them.

Additionally, the plea seeksdirections to operationalize a specialized helpline, connected with an ambulance, for pregnant women and lactating mothers, to be able to access health facilities of their choice during the pandemic.

Advocate Jyoti Satpute appearing for the Petitioners submitted that while there is a scheme in place for providing financial assistance to pregnant women belonging to economically backward classes, they were being restrained from availing the benefits on the ground that they had not registered themselves under the Scheme within the time period prescribed.

She therefore prayed that government-run hospitals be sensitized to such issues so as to ensure that pregnant women like the petitioners, are not made to run from pillar to post to avail such assistance, otherwise assured by the government.

While posting the matter for further hearing on October 28, the Court granted one week's time to the petitioner for filing an additional affidavit setting out the names of the hospitals where the petitioners claim to have received inadequate medical care and attention.

Case Title: SEEMA & ORS. v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

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