COVID-19: HC asks BMC to furnish details about PPE kits
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and JusticeA A Sayyed directed the BMC to file an affidavit by Wednesday,detailing the number of PPE kits it had already provided,apart from other health and security measures taken to protectdoctors, health workers, civic employees etc.
The court also directed the civic body to respond toall other contentions raised in the PIL, including theaccessibility of screening tests for frontline workers and forthe poor.
The PIL by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan also claimed thatthere weren't enough healthcare professionals and frontlineworkers in hospitals and facilities at some quarantine centreswere inadequate.
The petitioner's counsel Mihir Desai said doctors andmedical staff who were not treating COVID-19 patients alsoneeded PPE kits.
Meanwhile, the BMC's counsel senior advocate AnilSakhre argued that the state was providing as many PPEs aspossible and each kit costs Rs 2,200 per day for each personper shift.
"We are trying to increase the production of PPEs,but until then, it is not feasible to provide PPEs to doctorsor staff who were not treating coronavirus patients," Sakhresaid.
The petitioner has also urged the authorities not touse hydroxychloroquine indiscrimnately, as there was notenough clinical evidence to show it effectively treats theinfection, he said.
The court will take up the matter for further hearingon May 15. AYAARU ARU