2.6 million Covid patients provided free treatment, Maharashtra govt tells HC

In an affidavit, the Maharashtra government informed the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court (HC) recently that 2,648,827 patients were provided free of cost treatment in Covid Care Centres across the state so far, while 406,749 patients of the 4,49,485 patients who were admitted in private hospitals have been covered by group private health insurance

In an affidavit, the Maharashtra government informed the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court (HC) recently that 2,648,827 patients were provided free of cost treatment in Covid Care Centres across the state so far, while 406,749 patients of the 4,49,485 patients who were admitted in private hospitals have been covered by group private health insurance. The state also informed the court that it had 20 packages under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) through which free treatment was being offered to citizens from the economically weaker section.

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The information was provided in public interest litigation (PIL) which claimed that eligible persons were not getting benefits of the schemes, declared by the state through various Government Resolutions (GRs), issued in May 2020. The affidavit has also assured the HC of action being initiated against errant officials who have charged exorbitant amounts from patients eligible for the schemes.

A division bench of justice Sanjay Gangapurwala and justice Shrikant Kulkarni, while hearing a PIL filed by Omprakash Shete through advocate AB Girase, was informed by the state that following the April 27 direction of the bench the state had filed the affidavit. The bench had directed the state that Covid-19 patients from weaker sections of society should get all medical facilities to their optimum level and that it was high time the state strictly implemented the MJPJAY.

The court had stressed that the authorities should take all possible steps to provide treatment to all patients from weaker sections of society and they should not be deprived of healthcare facilities on financial grounds.

On May 7, advocate Girase informed the bench that around 20 to 25 Covid-19 patients living below the poverty line and possessing all necessary documents had been charged around ₹1.34 lakh for treatment and such persons were also denied admission in Covid-19 dedicated hospitals.

Additional government pleader SG Karlekar for the state referred to the affidavit and clarified that apart from patients on ventilators, 20 packages have been identified under MJPJAY wherein Covid-19 patients with moderate and severe symptoms could avail treatment. He added that grievances of patients who were charged with exorbitant rates have been registered and show-cause notices were issued to the concerned hospitals.

After hearing submissions, the bench observed, “The only problem is about the implementation of the said scheme. In this exceptional time, a greater responsibility would be upon the government and its authorities to implement the benevolent scheme more fruitfully. We would be more concerned with the immediate treatment of such patients.”

The bench further observed that eligible persons should not be asked to run from pillar to post and from one hospital to another for getting admitted only because of lack of funds. The court also directed the state government to inform it about the outcome of show-cause notices issued to errant hospitals and posted further hearing to June 22.