The Gujarat High Court on Friday observed that private healthcare institutions are additionally expected to meet the challenge of rising Covid-19 cases at hand in this time of emergency and it guided the State Government to keep a watch on all the assigned private medical clinics to guarantee that these establishments don't exploit the Covid patients. The observation was made as an explanation to the court's past order in a suo moto case enrolled to deliver the issues identified with Covid emergency. On May 14, the High Court limited the private emergency hospitals from asking for extreme charges and stated that extreme moves will be made against those found to be disregarding the request, including abrogation of permit. The bench comprising Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice JB Pardiwala observed as under:
"In times of crisis when people are dying, the Association should not think of even making a profit of one rupee. The private hospitals have the adequate infrastructure and materials and financial resources required to fight this pandemic. All the hospitals whether private or public are considered moral agent and hence have a moral responsibility. The responsibility to act in certain ways falls upon those who may make up these hospitals."
In the request dated May 14 the High Court had likewise limited Private clinics from asking for advance admission fees and instructed that the patients be solicited to just give their details from their Aadhar card and PAN card and if later found from the PAN card details that the patient was fit for making payments then the sum can be as needs be recuperated. However, the Court made certain modifications and stated as follows:
"if any patient is referred by the Civil Hospital or the S.V.P. Hospital to any private / corporate hospital, then there shall be no predeposit, but, if any patient directly comes to the private / corporate hospital for being treated for COVID-19, then in such circumstances, it shall be open for the concerned hospital to demand for a reasonable pre deposit and thereafter, raise the demand in phases as and when need arises."