HC seeks govt’s view on free treatment to seriously ill poor

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought suggestions from the Centre, AAP government and hospitals here on how to provide speedy, timely and free-of-cost treatment to poor patients suffering from serious ailments.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also asked All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to give suggestions with regard to utilisation of beds reserved for poor people in private hospitals by referring patients to them so that people do not have to wait for long to be treated.

“Parties (Centre and AAP government) are directed to file suggestions within two weeks on how to provide speedy, timely and free-of-cost treatment to poor patients.

“Suggestions shall also be filed by government hospitals and government-aided hospitals, so that in near future no one is deprived of treatment,” the court said, adding that “there is a problem with regard to providing free treatment to poor and we all need to find out a solution”.

The court’s direction was issued during the hearing of a plea for speedy and free treatment of 45-year-old Meera Devi, who is suffering from brain tumor and whose surgery was fixed in August 2018 by the medical institute.

Devi, through her counsel Ashok Aggarwal, alleged that when they requested for an early date, they asked her to opt for a private ward which would cost around Rs 1.25 lakh.

The court was, however, informed by an NGO that the woman has been shifted to G B Pant hospital here where she was being taken care of.