Writ petition seeks HC directives for ensuring treatment for all at hospitals

Four Supreme Court lawyers have filled a writ petition with the High Court, seeking its directives on the government to ensure that no public or private hospital refuses to provide treatment to any patient -- coronavirus infected or general -- 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 High Court recently, seeking the court's directives upon the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary measures so that all patients get servicesat the hospital.

In the petition, they urged the High Court 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 denied treatment at any hospital.

The petitioners said that 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 DGHS directives, the lawyers said that all private and government hospitals must have separate arrangements for treating suspected Covid-19 patients.

According to the directives, if a private hospital or clinic does not have the requisite facilities/equipment to treat a patient, then it may refer the patient to another hospital and the transfer has to be done only after ensuring treatment in another hospital in consultation with the Covid-19 hospital control room of DGHS, they said in the writ petition.

As evident from newspaper reports, several private hospitals and clinics have violated the DGHS directives by refusing services to the patients without a Covid-19 test result and by refusing to cooperate in other ways including arranging transfer to a hospital designated for testing and/or treating patients displaying Covid-19 symptoms, they said in the petition.

While talking to The Daily Star today, petitioner Barrister Ehsanur Rahman said that the High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim may hold hearing on the petition tomorrow through virtual system.