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Gujarat is facing tsunami of cases: HC pulls up state govt
Ahmedabad The Gujarat high court on Thursday pulled up the state government for alleged discrepancies in the number of coronavirus disease cases and said that the state is facing a “Tsunami” of infections
Ahmedabad
The Gujarat high court on Thursday pulled up the state government for alleged discrepancies in the number of coronavirus disease cases and said that the state is facing a “Tsunami” of infections.
The court was hearing a suo moto petition into the state’s response to the pandemic.
“The figures given by the state are not matching with the actual number of positive cases,” a division bench led by Chief Justice Vikram Nath said. Gujarat on Thursday reported 8,152 fresh infections and 81 new fatalities, taking the state’s tally to 375,768 cases and 5,089 deaths.
“We told you to get ready with more COVID-designated hospitals; sufficient beds should be available; testing should be increased; make sure people wear masks; and (maintain) strict vigilance at public places,” the bench said.
“But, it seems that the state government did not give due consideration to our suggestions. That is why we are seeing a Tsunami of corona at present,” the bench said.
In his response, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi assured the court that the state government was “serious” and doing everything possible to fight the pandemic.
The bench also raised doubts over the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s claims about the availability of beds, testing facilities, medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections.
“Doctors are administering it (Remdesivir) indiscriminately,” Trivedi claimed, adding that the situation would improve after the Centre, banned the export of the drug at the request of the Gujarat government.
An unimpressed bench, also comprising Justice Bhargav D Karia, asked, “Do you mean to say that the hype behind Remdisivir is being created by doctors? Do you have an idea of what is the requirement of Remdevisir?”
According to the national treatment protocol, Remdesvir is one of the investigational drugs approved for use in treating hospitalized Covid-19 patients. With the rising cases, the demand for the drug has also shot up. To be sure, most studies have shown the drug has no real effect and it has been removed from the treatment protocol in many countries.
According to a status report filed by Trivedi, 71,021 beds are available in over 1,000 facilities across the state and Covid-19 patients occupy only 53% of beds as on April 12.
Questioning these numbers, the bench said, “We have serious doubts about this figure. You are saying only 53% are occupied. Yet patients are not being admitted. In that case, how can this figure be true?”
The high court also appeared unconvinced about the government’s claim that it is doing its best to meet the demand of medical oxygen. “Hospitals are not admitting patients who require oxygen. We have learned that oxygen is being black-marketed. Hospitals are misusing their quota. Oxygen is being siphoned off after getting approval for beds while patients are turned away claiming that it is not available,” the bench said.
(With PTI inputs)
