ISHWAR @ MANJU Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This hearing has been held through video conferencing.

(2.) This case reflects the utter apathy of the respondent hospitals that are supposed to be renowned hospitals providing healthcare services to the citizens of this State.

(3.) It is the case of the petitioner that the petitioner suffered acute pain in his abdomen and underwent a surgery in the respondent no. 2 hospital on 30.11.2019. On 06.12.2019, he was discharged from the hospital with instructions that a follow-up procedure/operation would have to be conducted on the petitioner after a couple of months. The petitioner thereafter regularly visited the hospital between December, 2019 and January, 2020 for medical check-ups and tests. On 23.03.2020, the petitioner was informed that the follow-up surgery would be carried out on the petitioner on 27.03.2020, however, due to the lockdown declared by the Central Government because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the petitioner could not be operated. The respondent no. 2 hospital, in the meantime, was declared as a Covid- 19 hospital and the surgery could not be performed in the said hospital. The petitioner was thereafter referred to the respondent no. 3 hospital where all the medical tests were again done on the petitioner.