Bombay High Court asks Maharashtra govt to publicise advisory on preventing Covid-19 among children

The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government on Thursday to give wide publicity to its advisory on preventing Covid19 infection among childrenA bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni said the state government must consider broadcasting the dos and donts on regional news channels to ensure the message reaches a larger population especially those in rural areasThe directions came after Maharashtra Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni informed the court that the state had constituted a task force to tackle paediatric cases of Covid19 and related ailmentsAlso Read Centres allocation of black fungus drug irrational supply to Maharashtra inadequate HCA detailed video conference was recently held between district and health officials and 65000 ASHA workers during which various factors such as identifying symptoms prevention methods use of oximeters were discussed Kumbhakoni saidThe court noted that the presentation made by the state in the meeting and its subsequent advisory was nicely done and therefore must be given wider publicityWhy not broadcast this on Marathi TV and news channels Give wide publicity to educate mothers all stakeholders the high court saidThe court was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations PILs on managing resources and containing the spread of Covid19 infection in the stateDuring previous hearings the HC said given that experts had cautioned the country to brace for the third wave of the pandemic in which children might be the most vulnerable the authorities must take preemptive steps and also strengthen health infrastructure in the stateThe court will continue hearing the PILs on June 16Any protocol to protect doctors from harassment by patients kin Bombay HC asks Maharashtra govtThe Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to tell if there existed a protocol to protect doctors who are working round the clock to treat Covid19 patients from harassment at the hands of relatives of patientsA bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni asked the government to inform the court about the steps being taken to protect the doctors It said it will pass appropriate orders on FridayDuring the hearing the court was informed by advocate Rajesh Inamdar counsel for one of the petitioners that several doctors working in Covid19 wards across the state had been increasingly receiving notices from the police following complaints by relatives of patients who were either unhappy with the treatment received or in cases where coronavirus patients had succumbed to the diseaseRelatives of patients who die go to the police with treatment chart and the Maharashtra government protocol on drug administration because of which doctors overworked working in COVID wards are receiving police notices There should not be kneejerk reactions in initiating criminal action against doctors Inamdar saidIf there is any difference between the two if a certain drug is not prescribed or if the exact sequence of drugs is not followed they lodge a complaint he saidInamdar was referring to the protocol issued last year by the Maharashtra government that keeps getting revised from timetotime and deals with the drugs and line of treatment that must be provided to Covid19 patientsA doctor representing the Indian Medical Association IMA who was also present in the hearing via video conferencing then told the high court that doctors were being attacked unnecessarilyThe HC then said that doctors already overworked due to the pandemic must not have to face such harassment or spend any time giving explanations to the policeDoctors are working 24x7 wearing PPE kits Thereafter they are having to explain to police Is there any government protocol it saidIt asked the Maharashtra Advocate General to assist the court on reliefs the court could offer to such doctorsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever