No COVID-19 treatment: HC pulls up government for inaction against Apollo, Basavatarakam Cancer hospitals

By MD BureauPublished On 2020-08-08T09:00:59+05:30 | Updated On 8 Aug 2020 3:30 AM GMT

No COVID-19 treatment: HC pulls up government for inaction against Apollo, Basavatarakam Cancer hospitals

Telangana: Expressing anguish over the functioning of two highly reputed private medical hospitals in Hyderabad who allegedly refused to offer treatment to poor COVID patients, the Telangana High Court has recently asked why is the government not initiating any action against these hospitals.

The observation came during the hearing of the petition filed by social activist and President of an NGO, confederate of voluntary Association against the two hospitals- Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute and Apollo Hospital. The PIL sought the court to initiate action against the two corporate hospitals cited for not extending free treatment to COVID-19 patients coming from economically poor backgrounds and not reserving 50 per cent beds for them.

It urged for the Court's direction to instruct the two hospitals to reserve bed for the poor as well as to ensure treatment for them free of cost. The petitioner submitted that in spite of securing land from the government at a low price, the hospitals are not providing treatment to the poor patients free of cost. He also submitted that these two hospitals secured lands on prime locations on concessional rates after ensuring that they will reserve 15 to 25 per cent of the beds for poor and also will provide them free treatment but the hospitals have not practised either of these.

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According to The New Indian Express, after considering the submission of the petitioner a bench of justice including Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, stated that "These private corporate hospitals are allotted prime land by the State government at a concessional price on lease, based on an assurance that they will reserve 15 to 25 percent of beds for the poor and extend free consultation to 40 percent outpatients. But the two private hospitals have violated these written assurances and the two GOs (517 and 484 of 1981 and 1989) issued to this effect."

The Court also inquired why the government has not taken steps against the hospitals by either serving them notice or by revoking their license as they seem fit, to ensure that the hospitals will face consequences if treatment is not provided to the needy by them.

"Why is the government not initiating any action against these hospitals? In fact, stringent action should be taken against them by cancelling their lease agreement and licence to run the hospitals"

The bench also observed,

"This court is surprised that the hospitals are collecting phenomenal amounts from COVID-19 patients. Newspapers had reported a case wherein a private hospital refused to hand over the body of a COVID patient to family as the bill was not paid. People are wondering as to what kind of private hospitals are being permitted to run by the Telangana government"

Tagging the PIL along with a batch of already existing 18 PILs on COVID-19, the High Court has adjourned the case to August 13 for further proceeding, adds the daily

Source : with inputs

MD Bureau

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