Delhi Govt seeks SC nod for 80 percent COVID bed reservation in private facilities

Published On 2020-11-07 10:39 GMT   |   Update On 2020-11-07 10:42 GMT
Advertisement

New Delhi: Challenging the order given by the High Court to put a stay on the state government's decision to reserve 80 percent of the ICU beds in 33 private hospitals for COVID victims, the Delhi government has approached the Supreme Court to secure permission for the said reservation.

The state government approached the apex court after the high court on September 22nd stayed the Delhi government's September 13th decision stating that allowing the government to reserve seats in 33 big private facilities would clearly violate the fundamental rights of the other patients who have several different health conditions and are currently under treatment in the hospitals.

Advertisement

The appeal made by advocate Shroff stated that "Delhi is known for its good quality healthcare facilities and particularly acts as a magnet for people residing in neighboring states, who wish to avail these facilities. Covid patients from outside Delhi are regularly coming and are availing of the health facilities available in Delhi."

It also added that "If a Covid-19 patient is referred to Delhi and does not get an ICU bed, it will be against his fundamental right to equality and access to proper healthcare and, therefore, reserving ICU beds for Covid patients was a befitting decision."

Taking cognizance of the plight of COVID-19 patients in securing beds for treatment, the government argued that under the current alarming circumstances, it is extremely important that ICU beds are reserved for patients for the emergency purpose.

It submitted that the numbers of COVID cases are increasing rapidly and the number of cases recorded on November 3rd was 6842 which is the highest so far.

The counsel for the State Government submitted that the third report of the empowered group suggested recommendations stating that a total of 20604 beds should be immediately reserved to contain the burden of the increasing number of COVID-19 patients.
According to a recent media report by Times of India, the state has 15713 ICU beds deployed for the treatment of COVID patients but that may not be enough to handle the pressure. The advocate Chirag Shroff filling an appeal stated that the state's decisions to reserve 80% of ICU beds in 33 big private facilities would prove extremely beneficial in providing relief to the COVID patients.
The petitioner added that "This essentially means that the hospitals can increase their Covid ICU beds without decreasing/disturbing non-Covid ICU beds to observe the 80% criteria as mandated."
According to the daily, the counsel for the state further stated that there are almost 165 private facilities in the city and if 33 of them are taken in order to reserve beds for covid patients then it will not hamper the treatment of other patients. There are 168 registered private hospitals in Delhi with a capacity of 25 or more beds and almost more than 3000 ICU beds are available in these facilities. Hence, roping 80% bed capacity in the said 33 private facilities will significantly boost the COVID beds without hampering the treatment of Non-COVID patients.
The apex court is yet to deliver its verdict regarding the issue.
Tags:    
Article Source : with inputs

Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.

NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.

Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Similar News