Rethink 80% bed reservation in pvt hospitals, HC tells govt

On November 12, the high court had allowed the delhi govt to reserve 80% ICu beds in city’s private hospitals .

The high court on Wednesday asked the Delhi government to reconsider its decision of reserving 80% ICU beds in 33 private hospitals for Covid patients after being told that half of such beds are lying vacant.

A health worker collects a swab sample to test for coronavirus infection, at Tilak Nagar in New Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Justice Navin Chawla turned down the request of the Delhi government’s additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose, who had sought that the matter be listed after 10 days for better review of the situation after the petitioner’s counsel told the court that out of 5,081 ICU beds reserved for Covid-19 patients, 2,360 were vacant as on Tuesday and that there was no justification for continuing the reservation of beds.

Taking note of the submission, the court said that 10 days cannot be granted to review the order and it should be done immediately. It asked the government to re-consider its decision and file its stand by December 14 while posting the matter for further hearing on December 15. “See the figures. If 50% beds are lying vacant, it needs immediate review and not a review after 10 days,” the court said.

Later, on October 9, a division bench of the court took up an appeal by the Delhi government, refused to vacate the stay and adjourned the matter to November 27. The AAP government approached the Apex court against these two orders of September 22 and October 9. The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the high court’s order staying the AAP government’s instruction to private hospitals and asked it to go back to the high court.

On November 12, a division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad, finally, vacated the stay considering the increase in the number of cases in the city.

On Wednesday, appearing for the Delhi government, its additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose, told the court that they are taking all precautionary measures and that the matter be heard after December 17.

He said that a meeting was held by Delhi health minister on December 7 to review the current Covid-19 situation in Delhi. Ghose said that the order to reserve 80% ICU beds in 33 hospitals would be reviewed again on December 17.

However, appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Maninder Singh and advocate Sanyam Khetarpal, told the court that several ICU beds in government as well the private hospitals are lying vacant.

Taking details from the Delhi corona app, Singh told the court that while 534 ICU beds with ventilator were lying vacant, another 1,038 ICU beds without ventilator are also unoccupied.

Singh said in case of non-Covid-19 ICU beds, out of 1,420, at least 314 beds are lying vacant.

The court agreed with the contentions raised and asked the Delhi government to look into the matter.