The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government to explain how it plans to meet the increasing demand for ambulances due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.
A Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan also urged the Centre and States to devise a mechanism to protect patients from being fleeced by private ambulance services.
“You must have a cap on these exorbitant rates that ambulances are charging,” Justice M.R. Shah, on the Bench, addressed the government side.
In a hearing on a petition filed by the NGO, Earth, the court issued notice to the Centre, the National Disaster Management Authority, the National Executive Committee of the Home Ministry’s Disaster Management Division and States including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
‘Centralised system’
The petition sought a “centralised system” or operation centres in every district for availing ambulance services and booking hospital admissions.
It also asked the authorities to release advisories on the use of PPE kits, ventilators and Oxygen cylinders in ambulances.
The court agreed to hear the case after two weeks.
