Ensure accommodation is provided to outstation AIIMS patients; Provide travel passes to those who wish to return: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has directed Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, Delhi Government to ensure that as long as it is required, shelter/accommodation is provided to outstation, non-COVID19 AIIMS patients and their attendants. (Karan Seth vs UOI).The Court has further asked the District Administration to provide travel passes to those patients who wished to go back to their native places. .The order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar in petitions concerning the living conditions of outstation patients and their attendants who had come to AIIMS for non- COVID aliments. .Delhi HC directs Centre, Delhi Govt to place on record hospitals where outstation AIIMS patients could receive free non-COVID19 treatment.The Court perused the status report filed in the matter and noted that patients and their attendants were housed at Gargi School and arrangements were being made to take them to AIIMS for the purpose of treatment. .It was further recorded that about 57-59 persons, who were occupying the night shelter opposite AIIMS, had already left for their native places and about 93 more had expressed their desire to go back, which might require travel passes. .The Court also took on record the status report filed by AIIMS. As per the status report, AIIMS stated that it could accommodate about 50-60 persons in their Vishram Sadan. ."With persons leaving the night shelter and Gargi School, and with AIIMS offering to accommodate about 50-60 persons, it is likely that in a week or so, the issue with regard to the compliance of social distancing norms of persons housed at the Rain Basera would not survive.. in any event, till so long as shelters have to be provided, the responsibility with regard to the management of the shelters shall be shouldered by the DUSIB.", the Court said..The Court was also informed that AIIMS was providing telephonic consultations to patients by fixing the appointments in advance and the OPD would also start functioning in the next two weeks, in a limited way at least. .AIIMS also said that it was providing all the necessary treatment to patients in emergency, disbursing medicines prescribed by its doctors to the patients under its treatment from its Pharmacy and even providing Chemotherapy to cancer patients as and when required..The matter would be heard next on May 22 for the purpose of reporting status..Petitioners Karan Seth and Rachna Malik were represented by Senior Advocate Darpan Wadhwa with Advocates Arjun Syal, Manjira Das Gupta, Vaibhav Pratap Singh, Sharanya Sinha..Centre was represented by Advocates Anjana Gosain, Kiritiman Singh, Himanshi..Advocates Anand Varma, Shwetank Singh represented AIIMS. .Delhi Government was represented by Advocates Rahul Mehra, Gautam Narayan, Chaitanya Gosain..Advocate Parvinder Chauhan represented DUSIB..Read the Order: