The government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that though hospitals were responsible for implementing the infection prevention and control activities, the final responsibility rested with healthcare workers to protect themselves from COVID-19.
Also read: Editorial | Protection for protectors: On safety of healthcare workers
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare told the court that it was the responsibility of healthcare workers to adequately train themselves and take measures to prevent infection.
A Bench, led by Justice Ashok Bhushan, allowed petitioner Arushi Jain to file a response to the Centre’s affidavit within a week. The court scheduled a hearing for June 12.
Arushi Jain, a private doctor, has questioned the Centre’s new Standard Operating Procedure of May 15 for front-line COVID-19 healthcare workers, by which it has ended the 14-day mandatory quarantine for them.
The government said that while the hospital infection control committee was responsible for implementing the infection prevention and control activities and for organising regular training for healthcare workers, the final responsibility lay with the workers to protect themselves.
It said the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented. There was no time-tested and universally acceptable protocol for preparedness.
