As the country reported a further rise in COVID-19 cases, the Supreme Court asked states about facilities to accommodate patients.
In a fresh update, the apex court has issued notices to four states seeking response on bed availability at their hospitals.
It slammed the Delhi Government, citing the pathetic condition of patients in Delhi hospitals, where dead bodies were seen across hospital wards, lobby, and waiting areas.
It called the situation ‘horrific, pathetic and horrendous’ and expressed deep disappointment about the Delhi Government’s handling the ‘state of affairs’.
In this regard, SC sought an explanation from the Center and states too on the way patients are handled.
The top court further said hospitals are not even informing the family members of dead patients.
The court issued notices to Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu governments to investigate the issue in the wake of their rising cases.
It directed the Chief Secretaries of all states to monitor the status of the patient management system and submit relevant reports about hospital staff and patient care.
It is noteworthy that doctors from Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad are making strong demand for the decentralization of COVID-19 treatment centers, which is majorly happening at the Gandhi hospital.
By states, Maharashtra is very closer to touch the 1 lakh mark for positive cases, and Mumbai alone has more than 50,000 positive cases and around 1900 deaths.
Source: Covid19india.org
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has around 38,716 positive cases so far, with 349 deaths.
Next in the list is Delhi, with 34,687 positive cases and 1,085 deaths.
Gujarat has 22,067 positive cases and 1,385 deaths. Whereas, West Bengal has 9,768 cases and 442 deaths, to date.
SC on Wage Cuts
In another update about wage cuts by a few employers during the COVID-19 crisis, SC told companies and employees have to work in tandem and should resolve such disputes over wage payments.
[Also Read: Transport All Migrants In 15 Days: SC Tells Center and States]
In this regard, it urged states to settle such issues between employees and employers, and submit reports to the labor commissioners.
It also urged the Center to file an affidavit on the legality of its decision about mandated payment of full wages during the lockdown.
