Delhi HC flags rising Covid-19 cases, seeks urgent action on lab guidelines
The Delhi high court has asked the Centre for an update on the status of guidelines for laboratories on the collection and transportation of Covid-19 samples amid a sudden resurgence of the outbreak.
Justice Anish Dayal, while hearing a contempt plea over the Centre's delay in formulating such guidelines, said that the situation cannot be taken lightly given the recent spike in cases.
'Considering that the next Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and in fact, active among the community today as per news reports, the vacuum, if any, of steps taken post the meeting of 30 May 2023 is a serious issue,' the judge said in an order dated May 28, made available later.
The court noted that although the Centre had initiated action by forming expert sub-committees, further delay could have serious implications.
'This assumes certain urgency, considering that there are wide reports of Covid-19 being active in the community as on date; it would, therefore, be expected from the respondent to crystallise an urgent set of measures in order that these SoPs are in place and whatever decision was taken in the meeting, has reached its proper conclusion,' justice Dayal added.
The comments came during a hearing on a contempt petition filed by Dr Rohit Jain, who alleged that the Centre failed to comply with the court's earlier direction to establish minimum standards for Covid-19 sample collection and transport. On January 27, 2023, the court had instructed the government to make a decision on Jain's petition within 12 weeks.
In the last hearing, the Centre's standing counsel Monika Arora informed the bench that four sub-committees had been constituted to define the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for sample collection, collection centres, and transportation policy. These committees, composed of experts from pathology, biochemistry, haematology, and microbiology, were formed following a meeting held on May 30, 2023, under the chairmanship of the Additional Director General of Health Services.
While the court acknowledged the Centre's initiation of the process and noted that contempt did not lie in this context, it underlined the urgency of concluding the work begun a year ago. The Centre has now been directed to file a status report within six weeks. The matter will next be heard on July 18.
The petitioner's grievance rests on the Centre's failure to act on the January 2023 direction. Jain, in his plea, asserted that the absence of proper regulations for diagnostic laboratories poses a public health risk and that the Centre had neglected to act despite clear court orders.
The court's order comes amid fresh alerts triggered by rising Covid cases in parts of Asia. Countries such as China, Thailand, and Singapore have reported new waves, prompting Indian authorities to step up surveillance and preparedness. On May 23, the Delhi government issued an advisory instructing hospitals to ensure readiness in terms of beds, oxygen, essential medicines, vaccines, and equipment.
'Hospitals must ensure preparedness in terms of availability of beds, oxygen, antibiotics, other drugs and vaccines. All equipment such as ventilators, Bi-PAP, oxygen concentrators and PSA must be in functional condition,' the advisory stated. All positive Covid-19 samples are to be sent for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital, it said.
According to data from the ministry of health and family welfare, Delhi has 483 active Covid-19 cases as of Monday.
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