The entire medical system in villages and small cities of Uttar Pradesh is ‘Ram bharose’, the Allahabad High Court said on Monday while hearing a PIL over the coronavirus spread and the condition of quarantine centres in the state.

Justices Siddharth Verma and Ajit Kumar took into account the death of a 64-year-old Santosh Kumar, who got admitted to an isolation ward at a hospital in Meerut, while making the observations at a hearing on Monday. 

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According to a probe report, the doctors failed to identify Kumar and disposed his body as unidentified. The patient had fainted at a hospital bathroom on April 22 and he died after efforts were made to revive him.

The report added, staff could not identify the dead and failed to locate his file, after which, his body was packed in a bag and disposed as unidentified. 

The High Court on Monday said, if this is the affairs happening at a medical college in a city like Meerut, then the entire medical system of the state’s smaller cities and villages are “Ram bharose,” meaning God’s mercy. 

The court sternly said, “If doctors and paramedical staff adopt such casual approach and show carelessness in the performance of their duty, then it is a case of serious misconduct because it is something like playing with lives of innocent people. The state needs to take stern action against those responsible.”

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After a report was submitted by the district magistrates of five districts, the court added, “there is no hesitation in saying that health infrastructure is totally insufficient in cities to meet the requirements of its population and rural areas lack as well in terms of life-saving gadgets,” the court directed the Yogi government to provide adequate healthcare facilities in compliance of its direction issued earlier.  

On the issue of COVID-19 vaccination, the court suggested that big businesses, who take benefits under taxation laws by donating funds to religious organisation may be asked to divert the funds for vaccines. 

The court said in a directive, “every nursing home or hospital with more than 20 beds should have at least 40% of their beds as intensive care units.” 

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“Hospitals and nursing homes with more than 30 beds should compulsorily have an oxygen production plant,” the court added. 

There should be at least 20 ambulances in every second and third tier town of Uttar Pradesh and every village should have a minimum of two ambulances with intensive care unit facilities, the court directed while scheduling the next hearing for May 22.