A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a direction to the Centre and states to ensure adequate medical treatment and facilities to non-Covid-19 Patients as the right to public health was a fundamental right.
In his petition, advocate G S Mani pointed out about 2.70 lakh people died of Covid-19 infection. However, after the second wave, most of the states put restrictions and protocols resulting into denial of regular treatment and check-up of patients with heart, kidney, liver and lung ailments, pregnant women and those required to undergo major and minor medical operations and surgery.
For heart patients and pregnant women, it has become very difficult to get admission. Though some private hospitals were providing online consultation, there was no such facility available in most of the government hospitals, he pointed out.
Maintaining that right to life and public health is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the plea claimed there was no pre planned mechanism in the states with regard to the public health and medical treatment.
"There should be more government hospitals, exclusively for non-Covid-19 patients. The doctors say that they get many calls for other emergencies. People are confused a lot. Emergencies are filled with Covid-19 patients, others can’t go in there," the plea asserted.
Due to the second wave of Covid-19 infection, several state governments like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana announced complete and partial lockdown for the month of April and May, 2021. Many state governments have extended such restrictions until June, 2021, causing denial of regular treatment for other diseases, the petitioner claimed