The Bombay High Court observed that governments must seriously consider increasing their public health expenditure, given how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone. The HC also said that the concerned authorities must focus on intensive contact tracing and aggressive testing, in order to defeat coronavirus.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Amjad Sayed also said that apart from health workers, even the citizenry has to step in and do "seva" of those infected by the deadly virus.
"There is a need to drive for robust detection of positive cases, intensive contact tracing, aggressive testing, and extensive spread of information and awareness relating to norms to keep one safe for a better future. To develop a wholesome strategy for dealing with all classes of patients, and balancing health care for COVID-19 patients and patients suffering from other diseases alike," the judges said.
The bench further said that the authorities must display all information relating to real-time availability of facilities at government or BMC-run hospitals, on their websites.
"Now that COVID-19 has taught a good lesson, the desirability of increasing the budgetary allocation for public health and care for setting up more modern facilities to cope up with similar such challenges may be given a serious thought," CJ Datta ordered.
The bench while speaking about the duties of the citizens in these testing times, said one should encourage the health workers, who are continuously working to wipe the tears and sufferings of the patients.
"COVID-19 has, in fair measure, shown us its calamitous effect on human health – both physical and mental. Not only has it posed a grave threat to human life, it has also made imprisonment for all and sundry intelligible by forcing people to stay indoors and abide by social distancing norms," the judges added.
The bench further said that the virus has come to stay and that it is time to rethink about each individual’s own lifestyle.
"While the pandemic has shown the fragility of human life, it is high time to rouse the greater self in all to put up a strong fight shedding fears, and the easiest way to get rid of the situation as well as the fears is to inculcate the desire and habit of helping others. By maintaining proper hygiene, proper protection and social distancing, each one of the citizens can contribute to fewer people contracting the infection," the bench remarked.
"Social distancing is non-negotiable and has to be practiced, no matter what the inconveniences are. Positive thinking and helping others, as much as one can and as much means permit, could light up lives even during these depressing times," the judges added.
The bench further said that citizens must live and let live others, with dignity. It further said that the state authorities must make an appeal to the citizens to maintain the social distancing and other norms diligently and to refrain from venturing outdoors unless absolutely necessary on the pretext that the lockdown norms have been eased, and thereby allow the benefits of the long unprecedented lockdown to be washed away by acts of indiscretion.
