'Patients Being Treated Worse Than Animals,' SC Raps Delhi Over Handling Of Covid-19 Patients

Supreme Court said that the Government hospitals in Delhi aren't giving due care and concern to the bodies. The patients' families aren't even informed about deaths and in some cases, families haven't been able to attend the last rites too.

New Delhi: Medics and family members perform burial of a person who died of COVID-19, during the nationwide lockdown, in New Delhi, Thursday, June 11, 2020. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday rapped government over the “horrific” state of affairs in Delhi hospital, in view of the dead bodies being stacked next to the patients of Covid-19. The Apex court has also sought responses from the Centre and different states on its plea taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance on the treatment being meted out to patients and the handling of the bodies. Supreme Court said that the Government hospitals in Delhi aren't giving due care and concern to the bodies. The patients' families aren't even informed about deaths and in some cases, families haven't been able to attend the last rites too. The statement comes during the hearing by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, S K Kaul and M R Shah, regarding lapses in proper treatment of Covid-19 9patients and dignified handling of bodies after taking suo motu cognisance of the matter. Supreme Court issues notices to State Governments including that of Delhi & also Delhi's LNJP hospital seeking reply on the matter. SC asks Chief Secretaries of States to look into the situation of patient management system and submit appropriate status report. The bench also issued notices to the Centre, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. "The situation in Delhi is horrendous, horrific and pathetic," the bench said during the hearing. 'Dead bodies are being put like this,what is this going on?' said Justice Shah. He observed, “If dead bodies are being treated like this, bodies are being found in garbage...People are being treated worse than animals". The Supreme Court has posted the matter for hearing on Wednesday, next week. The statement of the court comes at a time when the officials of Delhi government and the municipal corporation are embroiled in a blame game over disparity in number of deaths in the national capital due to Coronavirus. WATCH: Major highlights from SC's verdict on lapses in treatment of Corona patients