The Supreme Court has upheld three High Court directives while staying seven issued earlier over incidents of hospitals denying treatment to any potential patient amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Appellate Division chamber judge Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order virtually on Tuesday.
Earlier on the day, the government filed an appeal with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court order asking officials concerned to ensure that no government or private hospital across the country denied treatment to any patient, whether or not infected with Covid-19.
The three High Court directives that have been upheld by the Supreme Court are; the secretary of the Health Services Division and director general of the Directorate General of Health Services have to submit a report by June 30 on whether the instructions given by the Health Ministry are being followed properly, necessary initiatives have to be taken by the authorities concerned for appropriate monitoring so that no private hospitals or clinics can charge excessive fees for ICU services for Covid-19 patients, and authorities concerned have to fix, control and monitor the price of oxygen cylinders in Bangladesh.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, accompanied by Additional Attorney General Murad Reza, joined the virtual hearing representing the state.
Earlier on Monday, the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim, in response to five separate writ petitions, observed that no patient, regardless of whether they were infected with Covid-19 or not, could be deprived of treatment at any hospital, government as well as private.
The court also ordered the DGHS to form a cell to monitor private hospitals and to keep people informed, through the daily Covid-19 briefing, of the situation of ICUs in hospitals.
The High Court also directed the government to take appropriate legal actions against those who were negligent in providing treatment to patients during these times of crisis.
