PIL filed in Orissa High Court over mismanagement in Covid hospitals

By LE Desk

Cuttack, June 22, 2021: A public interest litigation has been filed at the Orissa high court, demanding a court-monitored probe into alleged gross mismanagement and negligence in the treatment of patients in Covid hospitals and denial of dignity to people who died of the disease during cremation.

Highlighting an incident at a Covid hospital in Baripada where patients, including a woman, were seen lying naked on the floor of a washroom and beds, advocate Bibhuti Bhusan Choudhury requested the high court to direct the state government to install CCTV cameras in all Covid hospitals. Choudhury also drew the attention of the high court to the cremation of multiple Covid victims in a single pyre at a cremation ground in Bolangir district, the Hindustan Times reported.

“The way Covid hospitals are exploiting the patients is really unfortunate and condemnable,” said the petitioner.

Choudhury urged the high court for a court-monitored probe into these incidents and demanded action against the hospital authorities and other officials responsible. 

“These incidents should be probed under the supervision of the high court and stringent action should be taken against officials responsible. Moreover, CCTV cameras should be installed in all Covid centres so that the patients’ relatives can see how their near and dear ones are being treated,” he added.

The state chief secretary, health secretary and collectors of Mayurbhanj and Bolangir have been made respondents in the petition, reported HT.