“Why can’t private hospitals treat Covid patients for free?” CJI Bobde asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Wednesday's asked the Centre to consider free-of-cost treatment for Coronavirus patients in the country. The Supreme Court was hearing a public interest litigation seeking regulations to be put in place for treatment of Coronavirus patients at private hospitals.

The bench headed by the Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde asked the Government to identify private hospitals that could treat COVID-19 patients either for free or for minimal costs. The PIL was filed by Sachin Jain, in which the Supreme Court had earlier issued notice stating that the private hospitals had a right to be heard before a decision was taken on free treatment of the COVID positive patients.

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Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre before the top court pointed that this being a policy issue requires to be decided by the Government. He stated that he will respond to this prayer.

The petition before the Supreme Court states that the private hospitals are charging high to treat COVID-19 patients and that the Government had given them unfettered powers to decide the cost of the treatment. Hospital beds and basic treatment in private hospitals was also unaffordable by majority of the population, Jain had argued in the last hearing.

The Supreme Court made significant observations during the hearing with the CJI asking the Centre as to why private hospitals which were given government land for free, could not treat patients for free as well?

“They have been given and either free of cost or at very nominal rates. These charitable hospitals should treat patients for free” CJI Bobde said.

The Centre has been given one week’s time to identify these hospitals and file their response before the Supreme Court

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