‘Appears as if Centre Wants People to Die’: HC on Remdesivir SOP

Delhi HC was hearing a plea by a lawyer suffering from COVID, who was able to get only three out of the six doses.

Remdesivir. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Image Courtesy: IANS)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 28 April, admonished the Centre, saying that it appeared that the Centre wanted people to die. These remarks by the court, came in context of the new protocol on use of Remdesivir for COVID-19 treatment, as per which the drug is to be given only to those on oxygen support.

Further, the court’s observation comes amid a horrific surge in COVID-19 cases that has led to an acute paucity of oxygen and life-saving drugs in many parts of the country and has paralysed the healthcare infrastructure in the country.

“This is wrong. This is complete non-application of the mind. Now people who do not have oxygen will not get Remdesivir either. It appears you want people to die,” Justice Prathiba M Singh, according to PTI, said to the Central government, with regard to the new Remdesivir protocol.

The court was hearing a plea filed by a lawyer who is suffering from COVID-19 and was able to get only three out of the six doses of Remdesivir required.

The High Court said that it appears the Centre was changing the protocol to reduce the shortage of the drug.

“This is complete mismanagement,” the court added   

According to PTI, owing to the court's intervention, the lawyer got the remaining vials on Tuesday, 27 April, night.

Further, as per PTI, the court had on Tuesday also pointed out that while millions of vials Remdesivir, used to treat coronavirus, may have been exported by India, its own citizens are "suffering due to an acute shortage of the drug".

‘Consider Requesting Armed Forces to Set up Field Hospitals in Delhi’: HC To State Govt

Meanwhile, in a separate hearing, the Delhi High Court had asked the Delhi government to consider requesting the armed forces to set up field hospitals in Delhi to deal with the overload of COVID cases in the capital.

The court had also made an appeal to the citizens to not hoard oxygen cylinders and medicines required for coronavirus patients and to make them available to those in need.

The court appointed senior advocate Raj Shekhar Rao as amicus curiae to assist court in oxygen crisis, other issues related to COVID-19 pandemic.

Further, the court, as per PTI, asked the Delhi government to:

• Place before it a report on number of RT-PCR tests conducted in the last seven days, reasons for reduction in tests.
• Examine suggestion of taking services of armed forces in setting up field hospitals for COVID-19 patients.

(With inputs from PTI.)