Supreme Court issues order to Health Ministry

The Supreme Court has ordered the Ministry of Health and Population to provide information regarding the steps it has taken in connection with health institutions refusing treatment services.

A bench of Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal issued this order in the name of the Ministry on Thursday. In its order, the apex court has asked the Ministry to also furnish information whether or not the health services were being regularly delivered, whether arrangements have been made for conducting tests for coronavirus easily if a person wanted to have this test done.

Similarly the Supreme Court has urged the Ministry to furnish information to it whether or not the swab test of people running fever more than 37.3 degrees Fahrenheit has been done and such persons kept in isolation, whether or not the people coming for regular health checkup have been turned back or whether the checkup services were being provided regularly.

The SC order also requires the representative assigned by the Ministry spokesperson and the Director-General of the Department of Health to be present in the court on April 5 along with these information, reminding that it was the responsibility of the state to protect the life of the people when there is an epidemic or high chances of outbreak of a pandemic.

The Supreme Court bench issued this order in response to a writ petition filed by advocate Muknda Prasad Adhikari seeking an appropriate order from the court requiring the government to take up fitting steps to prevent coronavirus in Nepal.

Supreme Court to operate urgent services till April 10

Meanwhile, all courts, including the Supreme Court, are to operate only essential services until April 10.

A full meeting of the Supreme Court on Friday decided to continue providing till April 10 only the essential services which the courts had been doing till date as a measure to stave off coronavirus infection, Joint Spokesperson at the Supreme Court, Devendra Dhakal, said.

The full meeting also decided that the Supreme Court justices, including the Chief Justice, will provide their 15 days’ salary to the Coronavirus Infection Prevention, Control and Treatment Fund set up buy the government. It has likewise decided to write to the subordinate courts and tribunals, asking the judges in these bodies to also contribute amount to the Fund.