The High Court of Gujarat has allowed private doctors and hospitals to conduct COVID 19 tests without Government approval.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala was hearing a petition filed by Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) challenging the State Government’s order which prohibited private doctors and hospitals conducting COVID 19 tests without the approval of designated Government health Officials.
The petitioner Association urged that 12 private pathological laboratories which have been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research be allowed to conduct COVID 19 tests without any interference from the State.
The petitioner has submitted that the order of the State Government was in violation of Article 14 and 21 of the constitution and also arbitrary and illegal.
The petitioners have further submitted that the order of the State Government was also in violation of the interim order of the High Court which had directed mandatory COVID 19 tests on patients undergoing treatment for COVID 19 before their discharge.
The Association further submitted that the approval from government required two to three days making it difficult for patients, specially those requiring emergency tests.
India Legal Bureau