Nasir Azam
Srinagar, May 6: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed administration of the Union Territory to submit complete details within two weeks about the number of hospitals and beds available for COVID-19 treatment and quantity of Remdesivir allotted, received and used in the Union Territory with the corresponding figures of the requirement.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sanjay Dhar directed the Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education to nominate adequate number of nodal officers for each city and to publicise their full details with contact number etc. so that such patients or their relatives may approach them with proper medical prescription for the supply of oxygen.
“The shortage of oxygen, medicines including Remdesivir or of doctors or staff is not born out from any material on record therefore it is not appropriate for the Court to enter into the aforesaid arena at this stage and leaves it upon the Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education to come out on affidavit within two weeks with complete details of the number of hospitals both government and private available for Covid treatment, number of beds available thereof, district -wise/city -wise, quantity of Remdesivir allotted to the Union Territory, the exact quantity of Remdesivir received and used etc. with the corresponding figures of the requirement,” reads the order.
The Court also said that FC, Health and Medical Education department is expected to explore the number of infectious diseases specialists available throughout the country and the possibility, if any of them is willing to serve the Union Territory, if such service of an expert is genuinely needed. “We are not sure as to the availability of infectious diseases specialists in the Union Territory or whether such specialist is necessary in the present situation, nonetheless the Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education is expected to explore the number of such specialists available throughout the country and the possibility, if any of them is willing to serve the Union Territory, if such service of an expert is genuinely needed,” the Court directed.
In an affidivat, Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department submitted that there is no shortage of supply of oxygen in Union Territory rather the supply is adequate and that drugs are also available in adequate quantities to tackle Covid-19 patients.
“According to him 3 oxygen generation plants of 3166 LMP and 6 oxygen plants of 6590 LMP are functional in the provinces of Jammu and Kashmir respectively. Further 4 plants of 4000 LMP and 17 plants of 30000 LMP would be made functional within 15 days in the provinces of Jammu and Kashmir respectively,” the court order states while quoting the affidavit.
The affidavit further states that there is no shortage of beds in the hospitals.
