CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Friday directed the State Government to furnish a list of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff along protective gear and other materials supplied to them within seven days.
The Court has also asked the Government to inform the budgetary allocation for providing protective gear and other equipment like sanitary gloves, masks and sanitisers as per WHO guideline to those managing COVID-19 patients in Government and private hospitals.
The Court issued the direction while hearing a PIL filed by former secretary of High Court Bar Association and advocate Bijay Kumar Ragada. The division bench of Justice CR Dash and Justice Biswanath Rath said, “We are concerned with the fundamental rights of the citizens guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The guarantee or right cannot be ensured without safety and protection of the doctors, nurses, paramedical and other medical staff engaged in treatment of patients infected by COVID-19.”
“We have information to the effect that around 200 doctors are engaged in the SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack alone and there is a dearth of sanitisers, gloves, hand wash and masks for them. We are told that the position in other hospitals, including those under private medical colleges, is disastrous. It is in fact a sorry state of affairs,” the bench observed while posting the matter to April 9 for hearing.
“It has also been brought to our notice that there is acute shortage of medicine in the market. Both the State and Central governments should immediately engage Drug Inspectors to ensure normal supply to all the stores. The State Government should also develop an app to receive complaints on shortage in above items from any hospital and speed up such supply,” the order said.The bench also sought a direction from the Centre to the medical equipment and drug manufacturers to allow entry of workmen in such factories or industries to increase their production and supply.