Hand over Covid-19 test report directly to patient, kin, SC tells Maharashtra government

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to provide Covid-19 test reports directly to patients and their relatives. The order, by a three-judge

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to provide Covid-19 test reports directly to patients and their relatives. The order, by a three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, came as part of the suo moto monitoring of facilities to Covid-19 patients.

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had issued a circular on June 13, stating that the test report will not be shared by the laboratory directly with the patient. “Laboratory will share the report with MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) and MCGM in return will share it with the patients,” the circular had said.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), as well as doctors, had complained against the circular, saying it is leading to delays in the treatment of Covid-19 patients. “Because of the new rule, patients come to know about the result of the test after three to four days, and during this time their symptoms may aggravate and may become serious,” IMA had said.

“This is why we are insisting on having a uniform policy for all states. See this order passed by Maharashtra government,” the SC said. “We have no doubt states and all concerned shall supply a copy of the patient’s report to him or his relatives and the hospital.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta found the order “illogical” and said such an order ought to be withdrawn. The bench asked Maharashtra government counsel, Sachin Patil, to take instructions and persuade the government to withdraw the order.

The BMC said it will ask laboratories to hand over test reports directly to patients and their relatives, but hospitals will have to take permission from the civic Covid-19 war rooms before admitting an infected person.

“For asymptomatic patients, we have CCC-2 (Covid Care Centre) and hospital beds are reserved only for symptomatic patients. So the hospitals will have to inform war rooms in their respective civic wards before admitting patients. This is for better management of beds,” said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy health officer, BMC.

Earlier on Friday, before the SC order came, BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had explained the logic behind asking laboratories to share report only with the civic body and not patients. “Most of the Covid-19 beds and Covid-19 ICU beds in 35 private hospitals in Mumbai are occupied by asymptomatic positive patients. This, because, after directly receiving the test reports, they [asymptomatic patients] rush to private hospitals out of anxiety and fear of complications and immediately get admitted,” said Chahal, adding that this results in a symptomatic Covid-19 patients, who are in need of medical attention, not finding beds in private hospitals.

The Association of Medical Consultants (AMC), however, expressed satisfaction over the Apex Court overruling BMC’s policy. “This led to unnecessary delay of reports. The private laboratories provide reports only after two-three days. The civic body takes additional time to inform the patients. In the meantime, the patient keeps waiting for treatment,” said Dr Deepak Baid, president of the association. “While the patients wait, their oxygen saturation deteriorates and then they collapse within a few hours of admission.”