Covid reality contrary to govt claims: HC
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Monday observed that the people of the state were at “God’s mercy” while hearing a suo-motu petition on increasing Covid cases in the state and directed the government to take several corrective steps.
Taking cognizance of media reports on rising number of cases over the last two days — the state has added at least 10,000 cases in this time — and the shortage of hospital beds, Remdesivir injections, oxygen, ventilators and vaccines, chief justice Vikram Nath took up a public interest litigation on Sunday while observing: “The State is heading towards a health emergency of sorts.”
On Monday, not convinced by the explanations and replies by state Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, a division bench of Nath and Justice Bhargav Karia observed: “People now think that they are at God’s mercy.”
The bench heard out Trivedi but insisted, “The situation is quite different than what you are claiming. You are saying that everything is alright. But the reality is contrary to that.”
The court went on to point out that there was a “trust deficit” among the people. “People are cursing the government and the government is cursing the people. This will not help. We need to break this chain of infection.”
The bench refused to accept most of the Advocate General’s explanations on the steps being taken by the state government, especially on the availability of beds or Remdesivir, a key antiviral drug that is in short supply.
Queues can be seen outside the Zydus Hospital in Ahmedabad run by Zydus Healthcare that also makes Remdesivir.
AG Trivedi denied that there was a shortage of the drug and cited expert medical opinion that it should be sparingly used given that it could have adverse effects on the liver and the kidney of the patients. Remdesivir continues to be used in India despite WHO recommending against its use, on the grounds that there is no evidence that it works. India has banned the export of Remdesivir and its ingredients in an attempt to address the shortage — brought about, in part, by hoarding and indiscriminate use.