The Supreme Court refused to pass any order to nationalize Hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak. This refusal came in response to a petition filed by Advocate Amit Dwivedi.
The petition pleaded nationalization of all facilities, institutions, companies and entities related to the healthcare sector in India to combat the instant outbreak.
The bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Ravindra S Bhat remarked,
We cannot order nationalization of hospitals. Government has already taken over some hospitals.“
The petition also sought favorable directions towards making covid-19 tests, treatment and associated costs to be made free.
The Hon’ble court termed the first prayer of nationalization of hospitals as ‘misconceived’, while noting that the second prayer has been tagged with another similar petition.
The instant petition raised concerns about the difference in testing costs in government and private hospitals, and that people were shelling out more money in private hospitals.
The plea drew the court’s attention to the global trend of nationalizing hospitals, and submissions were made stating the advantages and feasibility of a direction to this effect.
