Observing that the COVID-19 situation in Gujarat is "quite frightening," the state High Court here has directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee of five senior IAS officers to prepare a report on the condition prevailing at all civil and government hospitals where coronavirus patients are being treated.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala said, in an order made available on Monday, that the panel shall prepare a comprehensive report regarding the condition prevailing in all government/civil hospitals after minutely looking at the deficiencies, if any, so that they (shortcomings) can be "cured and taken care of".
"The picture that emerges as regards the conditions prevailing as on date in the state of Gujarat is quite frightening. Although all the necessary steps are being taken to combat the situation of COVID-19 pandemic, yet the machinery needs to be gear up and the state should be prepared to meet with the worst of the situation," said the court in its order dated August 17 which was made available Monday.
The HC order came on a PIL seeking details of the Gujarat government's preparations to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The court said it would like to be informed about conditions prevailing in all civil hospitals across Gujarat, particularly Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Gandhinagar.
The bench directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a team of five high-ranking IAS officers, not below the rank of Joint/Additional Secretary, to take a tour across Gujarat and visit all the civil/government hospitals to take stock of the prevailing situation.
"There is a lot of hue and cry at various civil hospitals regarding the treatment, services etc. We direct the committee members to prepare a comprehensive report as regards to the conditions prevailing in all civil hospitals/government hospitals in the state of Gujarat where COVID-19 patients are being treated.
"The committee members shall, very minutely, look into the deficiencies, if any, at such civil hospitals so that such deficiencies can be cured and taken care of," the HC said.
The court said the exercise shall be taken with the aim to ease the difficulties being faced by common citizens, particularly the poor, so that the government could provide them better medical services during the pandemic.
"The circumstances, as on date, are such that it is difficult for a common man to come forward and point out his problems.
"We expect the committee members to effectively interact with the resident doctors, interns, superintendence, nursing staff, and above all, the patients and their family members attending the patients in the hospital," it said.
Such interactions will go a long way in achieving the objective for which the exercise is to be undertaken, the bench said and asked the committee to submit its report by September 4, the next date of hearing.
Appreciating the fact that the Gujarat Chief Minister and Health Minister have been regularly visiting Surat, the court said they need to put in similar efforts for all major cities where COVID-19 cases are on the rise.
It sought to know if any safety-cum-checking mechanism is in place to ensure that patients in private hospitals are actually being administered the drugs being provided by the state government free of cost.
The bench also sought to know if there are SOPs for operation of industries other than diamond and textile units in Surat, a COVID-19 hotspot.
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