Allow Cookies!
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies
The Capital of the country is struggling to control the spread of the Coronavirus and in this battle, many of the health care workers are losing their lives. Amidst the chaos that is prevalent due to the mismanagement of the government, the Delhi Court on 24th July has passed its judgment in a PIL filed by the NGO District Management Collective. This has brought some relief to the health care workers. The Court in its judgment has accepted some of the suggestions made by the petitioner in order to ensure the safety of the frontline health care workers.
Keeping in mind the struggles of the healthcare workers appointed on COVID duty, Justice D.N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued some necessary guidelines to the government and directed the government to implement a new helpline number dedicated to solving the grievances of the nurses and other health care workers. The Court rejected the state's contention that the common 24*7 helpline provided by the government can address the problems of the health care workers by stating that the nature of problems faced by the healthcare workers is different. The court also directed the government to appoint Nodal officers who will deal with all the complaints of the healthcare workers received by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The list of Nodal officers should also be publicized by the DGHS to all the healthcare facilities. The court also directed the government to obtain undertakings from all the healthcare facilities(COVID or not) stating that necessary protective medical equipment is available to their staff.
In its judgment, the court also rejected some of the suggestions of the petitioner. The court rejected the demand to extend posthumous ex-gratia payment to healthcare officials not assigned to COVID duties as such officials are not at the same level of risk as to the one's COVID duties. The court also rejected the petitioner's plea to provide post duty quarantine facility for 14 days to all nurses and extend the coverage of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna to other categories of healthcare workers because the decision of the government in this regard is not discriminatory as contended by the petitioner. This judgment of the Delhi court is an attempt made by the court to fix the sorry state of affairs existing in the capital city.
86540
103860
630
114
59824