CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday directed the Cuttack Collector to probe the alleged death of a patient during lockdown due to denial of dialysis treatment at a private hospital here because he did not have a Covid-19 test certificate. The controversy had surfaced earlier this month after a local police station received a complaint alleging that the patient who needed regular dialysis died after the private hospital refused to treat him because he was a Muslim.
The case of Sayad Abdul Hasan of Barigol under Salepur police limits reached the High Court with a city-based lawyer Azra Jamal filing a PIL seeking an inquiry into his death. The petitioner also sought direction to the State Government to ensure health/medical services by public and private hospitals and nursing homes to every patient irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex and religion.
Advocate Khirod Rout argued the case for the petitioner when the PIL was taken up for hearing through video conferencing on Wednesday. On behalf of the Government, Advocate General stated that, “Grievance of the petitioner is being enquired into by the Collector, Cuttack and the State has ensured that no one is deprived of treatment in any hospital of Government or private on any of the ground stated.”“In view of the same, we dispose of this writ petition with the direction to the Collector to enquire into the matter expeditiously and submit a report to the State Government to do the needful,” the division bench of Justice S Pujahari and Justice KR Mohapatra said.
On April 10, Hasan was brought to the private hospital where he had been undergoing treatment and dialysis for the past 18 months. But the dialysis was allegedly denied to him at the hospital suspecting him to be infected by Covid-19. Hasan was taken by his relatives to two other private hospitals but was denied treatment there too. Hasan was taken back home and he died on the same day due to want of treatment, the petition alleged.