HC orders priority testing, treatment of pregnant women with COVID-19 symptoms

The High Court has ordered authoities to treat pregnant women with COVID-19 symptoms on a priority basis. 

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 June 2020, 03:11 PM
Updated : 1 June 2020, 03:11 PM

A virtual HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan issued the orders on Monday after hearing a writ petition filed by lawyer Md Tanvir Ahmed, who argued in the court over the issue.  

Additional Attorney General Murad Reza and Deputy Attorney General Amit Talukder represented the state.

The secretaries to the Health Services Division, Women and Children Affairs, registrar of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), chiefs of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR) have been made respondents to the petition, lawyer Tanvir told bdnews24.com.

“The authorities have been asked to prioritise pregnant women for coronavirus test and treatment like journalists and members of law-enforcing agencies,” Amit told bdnews24.com.

“Pregnant women are among the most vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis. Many of them made headlines last month after being denied treatment by hospitals,” he added.

The petition referred to several incidents of pregnant women with COVID-19 symptoms denied treatment, including the May 1 incident in Satkhira where a woman gave birth to child on a van as she was not allowed to enter the hospital.