PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has asked the Goa government to file a comprehensive affidavit listing out the steps it has taken to handle the Covid-19 pandemic including on the promises the State government had made before the High Court last year with regard to procurement of ventilators and keeping a helpline operational.
The affidavit has to be filed by May 10 while the matter will be heard next by the vacation bench on May 11.
Hearing a petition filed by the South Goa Advocates Association that was heard along with others who had also approached the High Court, the High Court took stock of the response ranging from security for doctors, oxygen supply, essential medicines, availability of beds and other issues.
DOCS SECURITY
On the issue of security of doctors, the High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar we directed the State Administration “to take all steps necessary and adequate to ensure that there is no such violence against the healthcare professionals and such violence, if any, is dealt with firmly following the law.”
“State Administration must post sufficient police personnel round the clock at hospitals, wards, etc. Sufficient boards or posters must also be put up at such places to make it clear that there will be zero tolerance towards any form of violence against healthcare professionals,” the High Court ruled.
PROPER INFO
“At the same time, the State Administration must also involve preventive and social medical professionals and paramedical staff to give the patients and their relatives proper information as to the line of treatment or otherwise, counsel them about the health status of the patients. These directions to be complied with forthwith because particularly matters of protection to the healthcare professionals can brook no delay of any sort,” the High Court said.
MEDICAL INFRA
On the aspect of medical infrastructure, the High Court recalled that in a petition instituted by two law graduates Jay Mathew and Gauravardhan Nadkarni, last year, the State had assured the High Court that an information helpline and mobile would be set up to help the population with information.
“We were also informed that the task force and war room were being set up and even the State Control room had been established to deal with medical assistance and supply of medicines. Even the names of the officers appointed to these positions in Districts of North Goa and South Goa were set out in the affidavit filed in said PIL. We hope and trust that all these positions continue now that the second wave has returned with vengeance. The State Administration to file an affidavit and indicate the status of all these assurances which were given to us we note that in our aforesaid judgment,” the High Court said.
VENTILATORS
The High Court also recalled that they were assured by the Goa government that orders were placed to procure almost 200 additional ventilators.
“We had noted that there was no reason to even doubt that the State will not make all the efforts to procure these additional ventilators at the earliest. This was the assurance given to us in March 2020 when we were persuaded to dispose of the said petition. Now that over a year has passed, we hope that these additional ventilators have already been procured. The affidavit, to give details on this aspect, as well,” the High Court said.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
The High Court also directed the state government to indicate the need of the State for essential medicines and whether this need is met by the supplies made from the various sources and whether any steps have been taken by State Administration for having plants for the manufacture of oxygen in the State of Goa itself.
“The State Administration should also file an affidavit indicating the position of stocks of essential medicines available in the State of Goa and the steps taken to augment the same, so that we do not have a situation wherein patients succumb for want of these essential medicines.
TESTING
With regard to testing the High Court directed the State Administration to file an affidavit indicating the status.
“It is necessary that there are proper testing facilities available and further, the result of such tests made available at the earliest. The affidavit should also indicate whether these testing faculties at Panaji and Mapusa which were operational for such a long time, continue to be in operation,” the High Court said.
“The affidavit to indicate whether any arrangements have been made to collect samples from home where the patients, for genuine reasons are unable to access testing stations,” the High Court said.
VACCINE DRIVE
The State Administration has also been directed to also file an affidavit indicating the position of vaccination drive in the State of Goa indicating whether any facilities have been provided for the marginalized section of the society, the disabled or the senior citizens, who are unable to access the vaccination centres.
“The affidavit should also indicate the status of the vaccination drive for the persons between 18and 44 years, which was to commence from 1/5/2021,” the High Court said.
“Finally, the State Administration must also file an affidavit indicating the measures adopted by it for preventing the spread of the epidemic. The affidavit to indicate the SOPs already issued and report on the efficacy of the same. The affidavit should also indicate whether there is any thought process on the issue of lock-down, now that the situation is spiraling out of control,” the High Court said.
ISOLATION KITS
With regard to home isolation kits and their shortage, the Advocate General told the Court that there is no shortage and if the petitioners point out the patients who are yet to receive such kits, they will be made available to such patients.
With regard to the availability of beds, the petitioners advocate pointed out that the website of the State Government indicating the availability of beds in various hospitals is not operational since 2nd May 2021 prompting the Court to direct the State Administration “to make the website operational forthwith.”
“This website to indicate not only the number of beds available in real-time but also the type of beds, which are available so that the patients have a clear picture as to the hospitals in which they can seek admission. Further, all steps should be taken to update these websites on a real-time basis, so that patients are not required to run from one hospital to the other in such critical times. These directions should also be complied with at the earliest,” the High Court said.
