The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday stated that the Uttar Pradesh government should prioritize public health over the upcoming Rajya Sabha Elections in the state, taking a foggy view of the State’s response to the rush in COVID 19 cases.
The Honorable Court also said that mere night curfews won’t be sufficient to battle the virus and the state should scrutinize the workability of complete lockdown in particularly those districts where the spread of the virus has been increasing or increased recklessly, for at least two weeks or three weeks and public gatherings must be confined to fifty persons, as the Court added. Districts like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gorakhpur have been badly hit by COVID-19.
The High Court ordered the Centre and the State Government to ensure ample production of Remdesivir drug by making its raw materials accessible to pharma companies and ensuring its supply in the open market and to take stern action against those who are storing it and are involved in its black marketing.
The rush has completely paralyzed public life and all the medical aid systems have extended a stage of complete saturation. We have been informed that Covid Hospitals are over-flooded with Covid patients and there is both manpower shortage and available facilities in hospitals,” the bench observed.
“The condition is so frightening that if it is not controlled carefully and cautiously we may lead to the stage of a complete collapse of the public health system,” remarked by the bench which was dealing with a PIL on the condition of quarantine centres and treatment of coronavirus infected patients in Uttar Pradesh, The Court asked the state government to “manage manpower on contract basis immediately to serve all those who are admitted to temporary level 1 Covid hospitals/centres.”
“We also order for immediate purchase and supply of BiPAP machine and high flow cannula mask in ambulances to all the district hospitals and level 2 and level hospitals of the districts like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Gorakhpur where COVID-19 infection has widely spread,”
After that, the honorable HC asked the state government to strenuously carry out the immunization program in the state.
On the medical requirements of non-COVID-19 patients, the bench said, “We must not forget that people suffer from various other diseases and so they may need not only urgent medical help but intensive care admission as well.”
So the bench then directed the state government to buy more ICU beds for hospitals.
Also, the Court has also pumped the state government to go into the likelihood of vaccinating students pursuing their higher education and for those who are appearing in various Boards examination of High Schools and Senior Secondary Schools. A Bench of Justice Sidharth and Justice Ajith Kumar arises to subject a slew of directions in this aspect. The next hearing will be done on April 19, regarding the same.
