Gangtok: Expressing concern over the ‘woefully low’ number of hospital beds that are available for treatment of COVID-19 patients in the state, the Sikkim High Court on Wednesday sought a report from the state government as to the course of action that it proposes to take.
“The beds identified for patients with COVID in the STNM Hospital and District Hospitals are evidently woefully low considering the number of persons who are reported to be infected by the virus on a daily basis vis-à-vis the population of the state,” a division bench comprising Justice Meenakshi Madan Rai and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan noted.
The HC was hearing a suo moto PIL for COVID-19 management. During the virtual hearing on May 10, the HC took up discussions with regard to the COVID-19 management in Sikkim including bed capacities in the government’s STNM Hospital and across other hospitals in districts, besides concerns about availability of ICU beds.
It was also brought to the court’s notice that ICU patients are being brought to the STNM Hospital from other districts. The Bench was informed that a 26-year-old woman who was brought in an ambulance from Singtam succumbed to the disease on account of paucity of beds in the ICU and non-availability of oxygen.
During the hearing, the situation in the primary health care centres and sub-health centres across the state with regard to preparedness for COVID-19 treatment were also considered. The division bench was informed that emergency arrangements for patients with COVID-19 are almost non-existent and no supplies of oxygen are available at such centres.
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Advocate Jorgay Namka, the amicus curiae in the 2020 suo moto PIL, submitted to the court that Grade-III and Grade-IV staff of hospitals who are also COVID-19 warriors are deficient and the issue requires to be addressed immediately. Their well-being is to be taken into consideration and the health of the members of their families are also to be considered, it was pointed out.
Testing facilities require augmentation in terms of increasing the number of centres for testing which presently is available only in East Sikkim district, that too at two hospitals, it was pointed out.
Awareness generation with regard to the vaccine registrations and the protocol to be followed when patient is tested COVID-19 positive is to be taken up on a priority basis, the court noted.
These points may be taken up for consideration by the Additional Advocate General and report submitted on these counts along with other topics that arose for discussion including strengthening of frontline warriors by way of increase in numbers, directed the High Court of Sikkim.
The matter is now listed for hearing on May 15.