The state of affairs in Delhi's Covid-19 hospitals is horrific: SC

The top court had on Thursday taken suo motu cognizance of reports of improper handling of Covid-19 patients and undignified disposal of the victims' bodies in the country

The top court also wondered about the fewer Covid tests being conducted in Delhi and asked the government to ensure that there should be “steep increase in the testing both by Government hospitals and private labs” as “non-testing of the patients is not a solution to the problem”.

Taking note of the reports of “horrific scenes” at Delhi’s Covid-19 dedicated LNJP hospital where bodies are being stacked next to coronavirus patients, the Supreme Court said on Friday that it indicated the “sorry state of affairs” in government hospitals. The top court also directed Chief Secretaries of the NCT, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Gujarat to take “remedial action” ensuring proper management of patients at hospitals.

A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah issued notices to the Centre and the four states observing that apart from Delhi, the situation was “grim” at the hospitals there as well vis-a-vis treatment of coronavirus patients and handling of the bodies.

“We direct that the Chief Secretaries of the States shall immediately take appropriate notice of the status of patients' management in the Government hospital in their respective States and take remedial action. Status report with regard to Government hospitals, patient care and the details of the staff, infrastructure, etc. should be brought before the court so that appropriate directions be issued by the court as found necessary on the next date of hearing,” it said.

On handling of the bodies of COVID-19 victims, the top court said there was “no proper adherence to the guidelines” of the health ministry and the hospitals are not giving “due care and concern to the dead bodies”.

“The patients' relatives are not even informed for several days of the death of the patient as has been reported in the media. It is also brought to our notice that the details of cremation as to when the dead body will be cremated are not even informed to their close relatives. Due to which the families of the patients are not even able to see the dead bodies or attend their last funeral rites,” it said.