HC directs authorities to prioritise treatment of expecting women
The High Court today directed the authorities concerned to conduct necessary tests including that of Covid-19 and provide treatments to expecting women on priority basis at all government and private hospitals across the country.
Secretaries to the ministries of health and women and children affairs, director generals of DGHS and IEDCR and registrar of BSMMU have been directed to take necessary steps to this effect.
The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim came up with the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Tanvir Ahmed on May 31 seeking necessary orders on the respondents to provide treatment and conduct Covid-19 and other tests of pregnant women on priority basis at all hospitals.
The High Court bench held a virtual hearing on the writ petition through video conference.
Advocate Tanvir Ahmed himself argued supporting his writ petition while Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state.
Tanvir Ahmed told The Daily Star thatexpecting women have currently been deprived of treatment and tests at some hospitals due to coronavirus pandemic which was inhuman and illegal.
"I have moved the writ petition as a public interest litigation annexing the reports published in different newspapers including The Daily Star and an article published in the same newspaper on this issue," he said.
The lawyer said he had earlier served a legal notice to the respondents to take necessary measures to ensure tests and treatment for expecting women on priority basis at the hospitals but they did not make any response to the legal notice.
The Daily Star published a report with a photo on denial of treatment to an expecting mother Jhuma by few hospitals including Dhaka Medical College Hospital on May 21.
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