Don't threaten doctors, health workers for bringing out the truth; SC slams Delhi govt
Jun 17, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 17 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Delhi government for threatening doctors, nurses, and health workers with legal actions for bringing to the public knowledge the state of healthcare in the hospitals of the national capital.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan and also comprising Justice MR Shah and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul was hearing a suo motu matter related to the proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and dignified handling of bodies in government hospitals.
"Don't shoot the messenger. Don't threaten doctors and health workers. Support them. What has Delhi done? Please protect doctors, nurses. They are Corona warriors. You (Delhi government) do not want the truth to come out. But several videos have come out," the bench said.
The apex court said that the Delhi government cannot suppress the truth and asked why a doctor, who made a video of one of the Delhi hospitals, was suspended.
"Why did you suspend a doctor who made a video of the pathetic conditions of one of your hospitals?" the top court said and asked Delhi government to file an affidavit in the matter.
The matter was slated to come up for further hearing before the court on Friday.
Last week, the Supreme Court had come down heavily on government hospitals over the "sorry state of affairs" over the handling of bodies in the national capital and observed that COVID-19 patients are being treated worse than animals.
The same bench had issued notices to the Delhi government, LNJP hospital, and some other state governments seeking their response on the matter. The court had also asked the chief secretary, Government of NCT, to look into the patient management system and submit a status report regarding staff, and patient care, etc.
