False alarms disturb the whole system: Delhi HC

New Delhi: Exasperated at a counsel raising an SOS call before the court by claiming that a hospital is running out of oxygen despite having a sufficient supply of it, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition and said that such "false alarms disturb the whole system" and "put unnecessary stain on the healthcare infrastructure".

During the hearing, advocate Kunal Anand, on behalf of a patient admitted to one IBS Hospital, raised an SOS call and claimed that as per his instructions, the

hospital has oxygen till tomorrow morning. On this, a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said that it means that they "are good till tomorrow".

After the advocate pressed on his plea, amicus curiae Rajshekhar Rao said that the hospital has six hours of oxygen left.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, on behalf of Delhi government, argued that it seemed that several hospitals find it an easier way to get oxygen supply by coming before the court.

"Don't raise a false alarm…" the court told the petitioner. The advocate claimed that he has received a note from the hospital which claimed that they are low on oxygen supply and hence will discharge all patients admitted there.

However, Vijay Bhiduri, officer with the Delhi government, said that the hospital has ample supply of oxygen.

Thereafter, the court threatened the counsel of imposing costs on the plea. The bench went on to dismiss the petition and noted that hospitals shouldn't raise an

SOS alarm unless they are running less than six hours short on oxygen. "Such false alarms disturb the system…," the court stated.