The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the State government to make it clear that all hospitals, either government or private, are required to treat patients needing emergency medical services for ailments other than COVID-19 without insisting on negative report for coronavirus infection. Also, the court directed the government to update the data of availability of beds in government and private hospitals on the designated websites in Bengaluru and other districts by getting data from all the hospitals at regular intervals. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Alok Aradhe issued the directions while hearing PIL petitions related to issues of COVID-19 health management. The Bench also sought the government’s response on the death of Manjunath S.T., a doctor serving at a government primary health centre at Kanakapura, after he was denied admission by three private hospitals in the city for not having COVID-19 negative report. Meanwhile, the government said the direction of the court to ensure SMS intimation about COVID-19 negative report has been taken up with the Union government.

Source: The Hindu July 23, 2020 17:26 UTC