HC notice to Centre, AIIMS for refusing surgery to poor patient
20 Aug 2014 5:33 AM IST
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre, city government and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on a plea by a person seeking a direction to the hospital to provide him free treatment costing nearly Rs 8 lakh for Reiter’s disease.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru sought a response from the central and the Delhi government health ministries and the hospital by 26 September while asking them to come out with a solution to the issue. In his petition, Sarvesh, 38, said he has been left crippled and immobile because of the ailment and urgently needs a total hip-and-knee replacement surgery but being poor he cannot afford it.
His wife, the only earning member in his family, works as a domestic help in Delhi on a meagre salary of Rs 4000 which is insufficient to feed a family of four, and it is thus impossible for him to arrange Rs 8 lakh for the surgery, he said in his plea. Sarvesh used to work as a casual labourer before he was immobilised due to Reiter’s disease in 2012. The initial treatment, at AIIMS, stopped the disease from getting aggravated.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru sought a response from the central and the Delhi government health ministries and the hospital by 26 September while asking them to come out with a solution to the issue. In his petition, Sarvesh, 38, said he has been left crippled and immobile because of the ailment and urgently needs a total hip-and-knee replacement surgery but being poor he cannot afford it.
His wife, the only earning member in his family, works as a domestic help in Delhi on a meagre salary of Rs 4000 which is insufficient to feed a family of four, and it is thus impossible for him to arrange Rs 8 lakh for the surgery, he said in his plea. Sarvesh used to work as a casual labourer before he was immobilised due to Reiter’s disease in 2012. The initial treatment, at AIIMS, stopped the disease from getting aggravated.
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