Assam: The Public Interest Litigation was filed by Lawyers Association, Guwahati
The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to submit a report regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that COVID-19 patients are being denied admission to private hospitals in the state despite having medical insurance.
A Division Bench of Gauhati High Court, comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak, after hearing the PIL on May 24, directed the state authorities to submit a report in this regard.
The PIL was filed by Lawyers Association, Guwahati for a direction to the state authorities to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petitioner alleged that in Assam many COVID-19 patients with health insurance cover are not being admitted to private hospitals contrary to directions issued in this regard by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) on March 4, 2020.
Advocate General D Saikia, countering the allegations, stated that nine private hospitals were contacted in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Bongaigaon. They responded that they have not denied admission to COVID patients except in cases where the employees of the hospital were also suffering from Covid, he submitted.
The court will further hear the matter on May 31.