Consider directing private hospitals to admit more patients: HC to government

The Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the government to consider issuing directions to private hospitals not to deny admission to Covid-19 patients even beyond the reserved beds, if the patients are willing to pay.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Alok Aradhe passed the direction, while hearing a batch of PILs on issues surrounding Covid-19.

During the hearing, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) informed the court that directions have been issued to the private hospitals under the Disaster Management Act (DMA) to reserve 50% of beds for Covid-19 patients. The bench said there should be a mechanism to allow Covid-19 patients to find a hospital, before the BBMP team reached the patient’s house.

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“The state government can consider whether a direction can be issued to private hospitals not to deny admission to any Covid-19 patient if beds are available and the patient is willing to pay charges. In our view, it is necessary to issue directions that private hospitals shall not insist on production of report of laboratory and they will be under the obligation to admit even on production of an SMS or Aarogya Setu App regarding positive status,’’ the bench said.

Non-Covid patients

The bench also directed the state to issue necessary directions to the private hospitals not to insist on Covid-19 negative reports to admit patients. Here again, showing a SMS on negative results should be made sufficient to admit a non-Covid patient, the bench said.

‘Cut delay in test results’

About the delay in providing the test results, the bench said the state and BBMP should ensure that time lag between test reports and visit of BBMP team needs to be curtailed to the minimum. The counsel appearing for Karnataka State Legal Services Authority submitted that of the 70 quarantine centres in Bengaluru city, only eight are being
put to use.

The bench observed that delay in test results has direct connection with the spread of virus. Every home may not be suitable for isolation and the person awaiting the result should be informed to reach a public or private Covid Care Centre (CCC).

“This grey area shall immediately be addressed by the state government and the BBMP. A person who goes to a testing centre and falls in category ‘B’ is immediately advised home quarantine. If his home doesn’t qualify for home quarantine, he should be shifted to a CCC,’’ the bench said.