On Wednesday, the Apex Court pulled up the Govt. of Delhi over the suspension of healthcare workers for exposing facts related to the condition in hospitals while saying that doctors & nurses were “corona warriors” & needed to be protected.
The remarks were made by a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul, & MR Shah while hearing a suo motu cognisance matter related to the treatment of Coronavirus patients & dignified handling of bodies in Govt hospitals.
“Stop harassing doctors & registering FIRs. You can’t suppress the truth. Why did you suspend a doctor who made a video of the pathetic conditions of one of your hospitals?” the Top Court said & directed the Delhi Govt to file an affidavit in the case. The bench posted the hearing for Friday.
The Delhi Govt told the Supreme Court that it was committed to taking care of patients, managing of bodies & raising the number of Covid-19 tests.
“Don’t shoot the messenger, don’t threaten doctors & health workers, support them,” the SC said.
Read also : Sushant Singh Rajput Suicide: Lawyer files case against Salman Khan, Karan Johar and others in Bihar
The development comes after the bench described the situation in Delhi as “deplorable & pathetic” in the last hearing on Friday.
The SC also had issued notice to LNJP hospital, the largest hospital run by the Delhi Govt, & one of the dedicated Covid-19 treatment facilities in Delhi.
CJI S A Bobde taken suo motu cognizance of media reports on “horrific scenes” at the hospital, apathy in treatment, & the handling of dead bodies.
Read also : Delhi HC Okays Plan To Turn Two 5-Star Hotels Into COVID-19 Care Units
Justice Kaul said that “We are concerned with the living too… Please see the deplorable conditions of people in hospitals. Dead bodies are lying in the ward”.
The bench was informed by the Delhi Govt lawyer that after the recent visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to LNJP Hospital, things were being improved.
In another hearing earlier in the day, the SC asked the Central Govt to issue directions to states for payment of salaries & providing necessary quarantine facilities to doctors & healthcare workers engaged in treating Coronavirus patients.
Read also : Anushka Sharma, Amazon Prime Videos Get Court Notice Over Paatal Lok Web Series
On Wednesday, COVID-19 deaths in Delhi was up by 437, taking its toll to 1,837 with 44,688 cases, according to the Health Ministry data.
Source Link
