The apex court sought a response from the centre and said hospitals which can treat such patients for free or at a nominal cost must be identified.
New Delhi| On Wednesday, the Supreme Court asked why the private hospitals, given land free of cost by the government, cannot treat COVID-19 patients for free.
It asked the centre if there is any difficulty in obligating such private hospitals with the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The top court sought a response from the centre and said hospitals which can treat such patients for free or at a nominal cost must be identified.
This comes a day after the apex court took the suo motu cognizance of “problems and miseries of migrant labourers” stranded in different parts of the country and “inadequacies and certain lapses” in efforts by the Centre and States. The court has sought their responses, saying it will hear the matter again Thursday.
“They have been given land either free of cost or at a very nominal cost. These private charitable hospitals should treat them for free,” a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
The bench asked Mehta to identify such private hospitals, which have been allotted land on the ground of charity, and submit its views after a week.
“You should identify such hospitals and tell us. They should provide treatment on this ground alone,” observed the top court.
Also Read: Protest At Mumbai Hospital Over Death Of Staff Allegedly Denied Sick Leave
The total cases in India surged to 151,767 including over 64,000 cured/discharged or migrated and 4,337 deaths amid lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In the past 24 hours, 170 casualties were recorded.
6,387 cases new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the last 24 hours.
Across the country, at least 64,000 patients have cured so far the recovery rate stood at 42%.
Currently, there are over 83,004 active COVID-19 patients in the country.
India is the 10th worst-affected country in terms of the total number of COVID-19 cases, overtaking China and Iran.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
