Covid-19 hospitals: HC directs Karnataka govt to form expert panel

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the state government to immediately appoint an expert team of doctors and other experts to inspect hospitals as directed by the apex court. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka directed the state government to file compliance by July 29, 2020.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The Supreme Court had passed the order with specific direction to the state governments to constitute an expert team of doctors and other experts for inspection, supervision and guidance of the government and other hospitals for Covid-19 patients. The high court observed that the state did not constitute a committee despite the directions issued on the last two occasions. During the hearing, the state submitted a circular issued on July 23 on the reconstitution of the medical expert committee. However, the bench observed that an eminent in the field should be named as the member of the committee.

"According to us this failure on the part of the state is not only contemptuous but it adversely affects the steps which have been taken for preventing Covid-19 and management of patients infected of Covid-19. The state should immediately constitute teams with emphasis that the team should be of doctors who are eminent in their respective fields and also other eminent experts. Not only that the committee should be constituted, it should be provided with all infrastructure and other facilities,’’ the bench said.