‘Confirm treatment for all at hospitals’
4 SC lawyers file petition with HC
Four Supreme Court lawyers have filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directives on the government to ensure that no government or private hospital refuses treatment to any patient -- infected with Covid-19 or not -- across the country.
AM Jamiul Hoque, MD Nazmul Huda, Md Mehdi Hassan and AKM Ehsanur Rahman collectively submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC recently, seeking the court's directives upon the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary measures so that all patients get services at the hospital.
In the petition, they urged the HC to ask the authorities to ensure the enforcement of the directives issued by the directorate general of health services (DGHS) on May 11 so that no Covid-19 patients are not denied treatment at any hospital.
The petitioners said it has been noticed from different media reports that certain private hospitals and clinics have refused to treat patients without Covid-19 test results.
Citing the DGHD directives, the lawyers said all hospitals must have separate arrangements for treating suspected Covid-19 patients and private hospitals and clinics cannot refuse treatment to patients, Covid-19 or otherwise, if they have the requisite facilities/equipment.
It said if a private hospital or clinic does not have the requisite facilities/equipment to treat a patient, then it may refer the patients to another hospital and the transfer has to be done only after ensuring treatment in the other hospital in consultation with the Covid-19 hospital control room of DGHS.
As evident from newspaper reports, several private hospitals and clinics have violated the DGHS directives by refusing to treat patients without a Covid-19 test result and by refusing to cooperate in any other way including arranging transfer to a hospital designated for testing and/or treating patients displaying Covid-19 symptoms, they said in the petition.
Barrister Ehsanur Rahman, a petitioner, yesterday told The Daily Star that the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim may hold hearing on the petition today through virtual system.