The three-judge bench of Supreme Court of Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice R. Subhash Reddy and Justice M. R. Shah resumed hearing in the suo moto case of proper treatment of COVID patients and proper handling of their dead bodies. The court has asked the states to file status and compliance report in the matter in 2 days as none of the states or UTs gave their compliance report as was asked for in previous hearing, and is listed to be heard next Friday.
The three-judge bench said that- “An affidavit has been filed on behalf of the Union of India, which does not give the details of compliance of the directions except that orders have been issued to comply with the directions. Mere direction to comply with the directions is not enough. The steps taken towards compliance with the directions have to be brought on the record. The State Governments / UTs have not filed affidavits giving details of compliance with various directions issued by this court on June 19. We are of the view that the Chief Secretaries of the States have to take steps to ensure that directions issued by this court in an order dated June 19, are complied with. An appropriate compliance report to be filed.”
The court gave 2 weeks time in previous hearing to submit the report and also gave directions to monitor and supervise the hospitals treating COVID patients. They are:-
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Union of India, shall constitute Expert Committees consisting of:
- Senior Doctors from Central Government hospitals in Delhi,
- Doctors from GNCTD hospitals or other hospitals of Delhi Government,
- Doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences,
- Responsible officer from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- The Expert Committee shall inspect, supervise and issue necessary directions to all Government hospitals, COVID hospitals and other hospitals in NCT of Delhi taking care of COVID patients; The Expert Committees shall ensure that at least one visit in each hospital be done weekly.
The bench has asked the states like Delhi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat to submit their report since there was a huge spike in the number of rising COVID cases.
