HC raps state govt, orders to make public available Covid beds at NMCH

The Patna High Court has directed the state government to make it public that all the 500 beds at the state’s first dedicated Covid hospital, Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) in Patna, are open for Covid-19 patients

The Patna High Court has directed the state government to make it public that all the 500 beds at the state’s first dedicated Covid hospital, Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) in Patna, are open for Covid-19 patients.

HT Image

Just two days ago, the court was told that he NMCH had 160 beds and that the hospital found it tough even to manage that number due to shortage of oxygen supply. Its acting superintendent even threatened to resign on the issue.

However, the Bihar State Human Rights Commission (BSHRC), which was directed by the HC to get an inspection of the NMCH done, told the court Wednesday evening that there were 500 beds, including 400 with oxygen facility and 70 ventilators, available at the hospital, as all the non-Covid patients had left, while 175 were occupied with Covid patients.

Surprised, the bench of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Mohit Kumar Shah asked as to why there was bed shortage when the NMCH alone had 500 beds available.

“Telling the court that 325 beds for Covid patients are vacant at NMCH is farce, absolute farce. If 325 beds are vacant, make it public It will be a big help. People don’t know if it is really so,” the court said and the state government’s counsel Ranjit Kumar to ensure information about vacant beds at the NMCH was made public and the status of oxygen supply was provided.

The court was also informed by another counsel that on April 17, NMCH had shown a total capacity of 160 beds for Covid-19 patients, 146 general 146 and 14 ICU beds.

The next hearing in the case is again scheduled for Friday.

During the course of previous hearing, the court was also informed that two hospitals, namely Medanta and Rajendra Nagar Eye Hospital in Patna, are going to be utilised for admitting and treating Covid patients. ESIC Hospital at Bihta will also be fully equipped to deal with Covid rush.

On Monday, the court had observed that “in the wake of this extraordinary and alarming situation prevailing in the State, different organs are required to act in unison to meet the present challenge posed by the outbreak of second wave of Covid-19 pandemic”.

“Serious issues have been raised about deaths taking place in various government and private hospitals because of lack of supply of oxygen. This court cannot overlook such aspects. If the court reaches a conclusion that Covid patients have been or are being allowed to die because of lack of oxygen supply, it will surely intervene and pass appropriate orders in this regard,” the HC said.

The court also took note that an officer of HC succumbed to Covid for want of oxygen supply in the hospitals. “We direct the Registrar General, Patna High Court, to submit an exhaustive report to this Court explaining in detail the circumstances in which the said HC officer died,” it said.