Himachal HC asks govt to increase bed capacity with O2, ventilators

Shimla: A division bench of Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday directed Himachal Pradesh government to furnish its stand regarding the importance of the ventilators in treatment of Covid and how it proposes to put to use the ventilators that were lying idle with the state in various hospitals.

The court also directed the state government to provide complete details regarding the availability of essential medicines required for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, and in case of short-fall, the steps taken in this regard.

The order was passed by division bench comprising Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Chander Bhusan Barowalia during hearing of a petition alleging lack of medical facilities in the state medical colleges and hospitals

The court has issued various directions to the state government to tackle the menace of Corona pandemic effectively by increasing the testing facilities in the state, bed capacity with oxygen and ventilators for the critical patients.

The petitioner had highlighted the issue of lack of oxygen facilities at Dr Y S Parmar government Medical College, Nahan and non-functioning of 25 ventilators which have been given to the Medical College under HIM Care Scheme.

Expanding the scope of the petition to the entire state, the Court directed the government to increase the number of authorized laboratories/clinics/ hospitals to increase testing and to consider sending fully equipped 'mobile vans' also to increase testing and prevent spreading of COVID-19 virus.

The Court also directed the government to resort to the use of other testing kits, besides the Rapid Antigen Kit, or the RT PCR tests.

To tackle the pandemic menace likely to increase in the coming months, the court directed the state to increase the number of dedicated COVID-19 Hospitals and consider the feasibility of establishing temporary hospitals with the help of any other Central agency, so that sufficient number of beds equipped with oxygen tank and ventilators are available.

The bench also directed the government to increase the number of ICUs in the hospitals, as the second strain is said to be directly affecting the lungs of the patient.

The court said that until and unless our front line warriors are protected from COVID-19 virus, it will be impossible for us to win the battle against the COVID-19 virus. The Court directed the state government to ensure providing of PPE kits and other protective gears to all the medical staff looking after the COVID-19 patients.

The court made it clear that in case the private hospitals refuse to cooperate or are reluctant to provide Covid test and Covid facilities, then the state government shall forthwith resort to coercive steps as provided under the Disaster Management Act and also Essential Services Maintenance Act and the State may proceed to take any other coercive or punitive step as may be warranted and otherwise permissible under the law.