Court keeps up heat: Will go down to every district

PATNA The Patna High Court on Tuesday said it would now go down to every district and subdivision to see how many primary health centres (PHCs) are functional and whether they have adequate infrastructure and testing facilities in the light of the revised guidelines issued by the Centre to tackle spread of Covid-19 infection in rural areas

PATNA

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The Patna High Court on Tuesday said it would now go down to every district and subdivision to see how many primary health centres (PHCs) are functional and whether they have adequate infrastructure and testing facilities in the light of the revised guidelines issued by the Centre to tackle spread of Covid-19 infection in rural areas.

Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on Covid management in Bihar, the bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sanjay Kumar asked Advocate General Lalit Kishore if his office had been provided with two technical persons with proficiency in computers, as directed on Monday, as the court would require information in a tabular form for every district.

In fresh guidelines two days ago, the Centre had underlined the need to enable communities, strengthen primary level health care infrastructure and initiate active surveillance by training community health officers for rapid antigen testing and counselling to intensify Covid-19 response in these areas.

The AG said that the government would examine to what extent it can follow the guidelines of the Centre on its own, as it could also have financial implications.

The bench also sought to know the action taken on the recommendations of the three-member expert committee, constituted by the Centre on the directive of the Patna HC to examine the status of oxygen supply in the hospitals. The bench was informed that the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) had taken corrective measures in the light of some adverse remarks by the committee, especially with regard to oxygen audit.

Appearing for the PMCH, PK Shahi said that by the first week of June, PMCH would have its own oxygen generation capacity to cater to around 2,000 patients. The court sought affidavit regarding the current status in big hospitals mentioned in the report.

Bio-waste disposal

The bench directed the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to file a detailed affidavit regarding bio-waste collection/disposal and steps taken for sensitization of the people.

Former additional solicitor general SD Sanjay also raised the issue of delay in issue of death certificates. The bench said the issue of death registration was already being looked into and government would give its detailed reply.

The court had on Monday expressed its displeasure over apparent inconsistency in figures of death in Buxar provided in the affidavits filed by the Patna division commissioner and the chief secretary and sought the figures of the entire district to be furnished since March 1. The court said that this would apply to all the districts of the state.