Inform med availability; publicize mucormycosis free-treatment scheme for poor: Bombay HC to state – Times of India

MUMBAI: Bombay high court bench at Aurangabad on Monday sought wide publicity to two schemes for the underprivileged mucormycosis patients and details from the chief public prosecutor for the state about “availability of medicines necessary” for its treatment. The chief PP D R Kale said he would address the HC on May 25, Tuesday, after seeking instructions regarding medicine availability.
The Maharashtra government on Monday informed the bench that two schemes for free treatment to underprivileged beneficiaries at selected hospitals would cover mucormycosis cases.
The HC directed that notwithstanding the policy, “identified private hospitals would be restrained from raising autonomical bills and the cost of treatment would be monitored by the rates.”
The HC was hearing a criminal suo motu public interest litigation on various Covid-19 related measures and focused on treatment for ‘black fungus’ as a rash of cases emerged.
The schemes are Mahatma Jotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana (MJPJAY) along with Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY).
The HC bench of Justices RV Ghuge and B U Debadwar called for giving the scheme “wide publicity’’ as it said “the poorest of poor , the illiterate, semi-literate and persons in remote and tribal areas would become aware of these facilities.’’ The bench added, “This would prevent unscrupulous elements (hospitals)from fleecing the poor and ignorant people by raising large bills for advancing treatment on Mucormycosis.’’
The HC said the list of hospitals also be widely publicized so that no patient lands at the “wrong hospital.’’
The HC also directed that “hospitals identified for the treatment of Mucormycosis would display an instructions board for the public at large, at conspicuous places’’ and place information on it about availability of beds.
About 130 hospitals in Maharashtra have been identified as facilities for treating Anti-fungal ailments.
Medicines to treat such ailments would be available through the District Civil Surgeon.
1000 more hospitals are to be empanelled and 19 medical and surgical packages have been identified for the treatment of Mucormycosis under MJPJAY.
Anti-fungal medicines required for the treatment of this ailment, will be provided free of cost to the patients admitted in the hospitals identified.