Action against hospitals if they discriminate against patients with special needs, warns Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday said there should be no discrimination in giving medical treatment at any hospital to people with special needs or those suffering from mental disabilities. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Centre and the Delhi government that if an instance of such discrimination by any hospital, including private ones, was brought to their attention, they should take action in accordance with the law, rules and regulations and policy being followed.

With the direction, the court disposed of a plea moved by Delhi resident Sanjay Tiwari seeking directions to the Centre and the AAP government to frame guidelines or rules and regulations for all the hospitals with regard to treatment of critically ill patients who are people with special needs or those suffering from mental disabilities.

Tiwari had filed the PIL in 2016 after his then 25-year-old daughter, who suffers from "myoclonic seizures", a form of epilepsy, was allegedly denied treatment for dengue at a prominent private hospital since she was a person with special needs.

He had to get her treated at a different hospital, the petition had said.

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