Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Pardiwala has ordered that Covid19 testing for certain categories of patients will not require approval from the government, and only intimation will be enough in such cases for Covid tests. For rest of the categories of patients, the approval for testing should be granted within 24 hours.

The High Court in its order said:

Certain categories   of   patients   requiring   urgent   surgeries   undergoing   critical treatment relating to Hemodialysis, other emergency surgeries including delivery of pregnant women which cannot await the approval of the Superintendent of the GMERS, Ahmedabad or the DHO as it takes two to four days.

If the approval is awaited and only then, testing is conducted, it   could   result   into   disastrous   situation   for   the   patients   as   also   the consulting doctor and paramedical staff.

In this respect, we have examined the guidelines of the ICMR regarding testing as also the report of the three members committee of the State Government.

According   to   the   said   report,   certain   categories   of   patients   are enumerated where testing should be done. Those categories of patients,as referred to above, in our opinion, and for the reasons recorded above, would   not   be   insisted   for   an   approval   from   the   concerned Superintendent   of   the   GMERS,   Ahmedabad   or   the   DHO   for   other districts, but the COVID­19 testing should be done forthwith without any delay and only intimation of such patients may be forwarded to the concerned authorities by the treating consultants.

For rest of the patients (not   covered   by   the   above   specified   categories),   we   direct   that   the COVID testing by the treating Physician or Surgeon would require an approval to be obtained, but, at the same time, we direct and make it very clear that such approval should be granted at the earliest and in any case, within 24 hours. This time line to be strictly adhered to.

DeshGujarat