The Orissa High Court on 30th March 2020, Monday, directed the state government with issues pertaining to the objectives laid down for Medical Care and to treat those affect by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Inter alia, the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanju Panda and Justice B Rath also went ahead and directed the Government to provide medical personnel in all hospitals with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for their safety when treating patients afflicted by COVID-19.

The Court was hearing a case which also dealt with concerns of the abundance of enough medical care in Hospitals, both Government and private, in Odisha.

During the course of hearing, the Court has also observed that:

“Specialist and experienced doctors need to be available in both Government and private hospitals to promptly attend patients reaching hospitals. Therefore, and order has been passed that the Health Secretary, other Government officers and Committees issue a direction to Government and private hospitals from which the Government is taking medical help to ensure the availability of specialised Doctors”

Giving leaves to such doctors should be reduced and should be given only in the cases of extreme urgency.

The Police Department should be advised to make sure that the patients and the attendants of patients should not be unnecessarily detained on their way to the hospital.

Further, it has also been ordered that the Government should ensure that no patient is turned away without getting appropriate medical care.

Last week, the same Bench had directed the Government to ensure that migrant workers in the State are being taken care of, amidst concerns that the stranded workers are facing difficulties during the national lockdown in place to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.