COVID-19: NHRC notices to Health Min, Delhi govt after Maken's complaint on beds, tests

The NHRC on Wednesday issued notices to the Union health ministry and the Delhi government over a complaint filed by Congress leader Ajay Maken, alleging shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients and "inadequate tests" being conducted in the national capital, officials said.

The NHRC on Wednesday issued notices to the Union health ministry and the Delhi government over a complaint filed by Congress leader Ajay Maken, alleging shortage of beds for COVID-19 patients and "inadequate tests" being conducted in the national capital, officials said. The Commission in a statement said it "understands that this is an unprecedented situation for the government agencies, hospitals, doctors as well as patients and their families but the State cannot leave its citizens to die without making the best possible efforts".

Accordingly, notices have been issued to the Delhi government and the health ministry, a senior official said. The Commission, in the statement, observed that the complainant, an ex-president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, "has not come up with mere allegations, rather he has made apparent sincere efforts to provide data in support of his complaint". These allegations, if true, raise serious issue of "inappropriate approach" of the government agencies towards the plight of the general public amounting to a serious issue of violation of human rights, it said.

The data indicates that there is an urgent need for taking effective steps immediately by the government agencies. Allegedly, there has been a "massive delay' in conducting the last rites of those died during the pandemic, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) statement said.

Issuing the notices, the Commission added that it would appreciate if both the Government of Delhi and Union Health Ministry consider the matter in consultation with each other to ensure a "comprehensive report within ten days". In the meantime, the government of Delhi is "expected to increase the number of beds and tests per day, for the COVID-19 patients," the rights panel said. The Commission has further observed that there have been many complaints coming to its notice from across the country relating to the difficulties being faced by the general public in getting timely medical treatment for COVID-19 illness and the national capital has been "no exception".

According to the complaint, received by the Commission on June 9, "COVID-19 positive and suspected patients are running from one hospital to another for admission, but the hospitals are turning them back," it said. The chart provided by the complainant indicates that Delhi has a "robust hospital infrastructure of 57,194 beds" the statement said.

It is further alleged in the complaint that "in Delhi, around 70 per cent dedicated beds are still lying vacant", it added. The complainant has insisted that at least 70 per cent of bed capacity should be prepared and reserved for COVID-19 patients, the rights panel said.

The complainant has also alleged that "adequate number of tests are not being conducted" by the Delhi government to detect COVID-19 patients, the rights panel said. The complainant has also expressed his concern that to "open up areas affected with virus", is a dangerous practice as it will tremendously increase the spread of the coronavirus, severely endangering human lives across the national capital, the statement said.