Earlier on April 14, the Chhattisgarh High Court issued directions to the state government to set up the COVID-19 testing facilities and also to search for the people attended the Nizamuddin Markaz.
April 14th High Court Observation
As per the Chhattisgarh State Legal Service Authority (SLSA), the division of bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Goutam Bhaduri observed that there are a large number of positive cases at Katghora and the non-availability of the testing facilities at the Bilaspur. Though the non-availability of the testing facilities at Bilaspur is riskier because this city is way closer to Katghora.
The bench directed the state government to take steps for opening the testing facility of COVID-19 at Bilaspur within three days and followed by the Central Government to take steps to accord necessary sanction within the next three days.
The court listed the case for further hearing on 17th April 2020. But the Court again fixed it for April 20, 2020, as next hearing, due to technical reasons.
Previous Facts And Submissions
- The High Court on 14th April stated that they had left the issue at the wisdom of the state government and concerned agencies so that the people of Bilaspur at other nearby areas can be helped in pandemic situations.
- High Court while stating said that the Virology Laboratory at Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur is not possible to open soon as its negative certain equipment from abroad.
- A Private hospital R.B. Hospital of Bilaspur has the necessary equipment but lacks NABL accreditation to start the lab for testing of the COVID-19 virus.
- Counsel For SLSA, Ashish Srivastava was submitted that if the state wanted to open the lab at Bilaspur R.B. Hospital, they can accord the permission at State Government Level.
- Advocate General, Satish Chandra Verma said that the state government cannot acquire a private lab without following the procedure. By drawing the attention towards the affidavit of the Director Medical education argued that the state government has already written to ICMR for according sanction to R.B. Hospital, for starting the COVID-19 test facility.
- Amicus Curiae, Prafull Bharat submitted that if the laboratory at RB Hospital has the equipment, then all the efforts should be made to make it operational.
April 20th Observations
On Monday i.e. April 20, it was observed that the roadmap for a lab in CIMS was designed by AIIMS and the training of manpower in respect of the CIMS Bilaspur was started by April 22, 2020.
After analysis, it was resolved that the COVID-19 test in Chhattisgarh Institute Of Medical Sciences (CIMS) was started after procurement of essential equipment needed for the testing.
It was observed that there was no gap in communication between AIIMS and State Government and the identification and treatment of COVID-19 patients was only possible because of their joint efforts.
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