A bench comprising of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat heard matters pertaining to the safety and welfare of health professionals and frontline workers vis-à-vis appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The Centre, has assured the Court of taking the extra mile with regards to ensuring the availability of the same and assured protection of doctors.
The Court went on to remark that the
The pandemic which is engulfing the entire country is a national calamity. In wake of calamity of such nature all citizens of the country have to act in a responsible manner to extend helping hand to the Government and medical staff to perform their duties to contain and combat the COVID-19.
Concerns were raised by the Court about the rising insecurity amongst the health professionals by virtue of reports of attacks mounted on medical professionals and various COVID-19 patients fleeing from hospitals. The need for providing adequate security by the state administration to such professionals was emphasized by the Court.
Consequently, the following directions were passed:
1. The concerned authorities are to ensure availability of appropriate Personal Protective Equipments, including sterile medical/nitrile gloves, starch apparels, medical masks, goggles, face shield, respirators, shoe covers, head covers and coveralls/gowns to all health workers, including doctors, nurses, ward boys, other medical and paramedical professionals actively attending to, and treating patients suffering from COVID-19 in India, in Metro cities, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
2. The concerned governments and authorities to provide necessary Police security to the doctors and medical staff in hospitals, places where corona positive patients or suspected patients are housed, as well as when medical staff make visits for screenings and check ups.
3. The State shall also take necessary action against those persons who obstruct and commit any offence in respect to performance of duties by doctors, medical staff and other Government Officials deputed to contain COVID-19.
4. The Government shall explore all alternatives including enabling and augmenting domestic production of protective clothing and gear to medical professionals. This includes the exploring of alternative modes of production of such clothing (masks, suits, caps, gloves etc.) and permitting movement of raw materials. Further, the Government may also restrict export of such materials to augment inventory and domestic stock.
The order is attached herein.
