Delhi High Court issues notice to Centre, AAP government on functioning of COVID-19 helpline numbers

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court, which took a suo moto cognisance of a video clipping on social media in which a man is seen running from pillar to post to get his mother hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19, on Wednesday (May 27) directed the Centre and the AAP-led Delhi government to place before it arrangements made to deal with such patients. 

Appearing for the Delhi government, advocate Rahul Mehra told the court that the helpline numbers were found not to be functioning efficiently, therefore, instructions have been issued to set the system in order. 

Earlier, the High Court took a suo moto notice of a video clipping on social media in which a man claims that his mother was admitted to a Delhi hospital and was tested positive for COVID-19, but the hospital asked him to arrange a ventilator and bed in another hospital. 

In the video clip, the man is saying that he visited several hospitals, but to no avail. He also tried the Helpline No.1075, besides dialling DSO's numbers--9870552526, 011-22307133 and 22307145 but failed to get any help. 

The court directed the Central government, as well as the government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to file their status reports on all the issues stated in the video clipping and also on the matter that the court has taken note of.

The matter, however, will be placed before the bench headed by Chief Justice, which is the PIL bench, on the next date. The court also appointed an amicus curiae and asked for the statement of the person who made the video clipping.  

The court took notice of the clipping saying, "The aforesaid video recording raises serious issues of public concern in the present-day context. A person who, or whose family or friend is found Covid-19 positive, should be able to call the helplines to not only report such occurrence but to also seek guidance and assistance with regard to the hospitals to which such patient may be taken – if hospitalisation is necessary keeping in view of the condition of the patient. The helplines should render meaningful and effective help to the callers."

The Delhi government's advocate accepted in the court that the helpline numbers were found not to be functioning efficiently while submitting that this would be corrected within the next couple of days. 

Representing the Centre, Advocate Kirtiman Singh, said that 1075 is an All-India helpline number that received about 3 lakh calls on it. He also informed that court that a mobile application is under development to provide live updates of the hospital beds available in Delhi government hospitals as well as private hospitals, besides other related information.

The court, however, observed that the GNCTD and the Centre should respond to the grievances of the said person, besides asking to place the status before it with regard to the arrangements made to deal with serious COVID-19 patients, who need hospitalisation. 

"The status of functional and responsive helpline numbers being operated by the GNCTD and the Central government should also be placed before the Court. Also place the status of the capacity of the helpline numbers whether the same is sufficient to deal with the present call traffic and the traffic expected in the foreseeable future, keeping in view the continuous rise in the number of cases being reported each day," the HC said. 

The court further observed, "The capacity created to deal with calls made on the helpline numbers; the nature of assistance rendered, and; the log maintained for the same, if any, should also be placed before the Court."