New Delhi : The Delhi government and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) on Friday assured the Delhi High Court that if there is another surge in coronavirus infections, the number of beds in the institute”s COVID facility for patients suffering from neurological problems would be increased.
The assurance was given after Justice Rekha Palli said if a third wave comes, “as feared by everyone”, then the number of beds should be increased from the existing 60 without patients having to come to court seeking hospitalisation.
The Delhi government, represented by its additional standing counsel Gautam Narayan and IHBAS, represented by advocate Tushar Sannu, said in case of a surge, the number of beds would be increased from the existing number of 60 to 80.
Sannu also told the court that presently there was no need to increase the beds, as only eight patients were admitted in its COVID facility.
The facility was created after a plea was moved on behalf a patient admitted at IHBAS claiming that he was being asked to move out after he got infected with coronavirus.
During the earlier hearing of the plea, the court had come to know that IHBAS had 236 beds of which only 50 were occupied by patients suffering from mental or neurological disorders and rest were lying vacant.
The court, thereafter, on May 7 had directed the Delhi government to make an endeavour to create and immediately operationalise a COVID facility at IHBAS and subsequently, a 60-bedded facility was created.