‘Haemophiliacs should get free treatment’
The Bombay high court on Tuesday asked the Centre to consider the proposal of the state government to provide free treatment
and medicines for haemophilia patients in Mumbai, and Pune as fast as possible.
A division bench comprising Chief justice Mohit Shah and Justice Anoop V. Mohta was hearing a petition filed by the Mumbai chapter of the Haemophilia Society that sought free treatment from the state government. The group also sought price control of the medicines used for treatment of haemophilia under the Drug Price Control Order.
Additional Government Pleader G.W. Mattos informed the court on Tuesday that any patient of haemophilia, with an income below `1 lakh, is entitled to free treatment and medicines.
The bench then remarked, “We find that the limit is unreasonably low,” the bench said.
Mr Mattos added that at present free medical treatment is being provided in four districts of the state. He further informed the court that the state had sent proposal to the Centre to set up similar medical provisions in Pune and Mumbai. However, the proposal is yet to get its nod. “In due course, free medicines would be provided in the entire state under the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayi Yojana,” he said.
The bench then directed the Central government to consider the proposal and decide on it as soon as possible.
In a previous hearing, the state had said that it would provide free medicines to haemophilia patients at the government-run KEM Hospital in Mumbai.
In 2006, the Delhi high court had directed the Delhi government to provide free treatment to the patients.
Following the direction, the Mumbai chapter filed a public interest litigation in court stating that when poorer states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir could provide free treatment for haemophilia patients, why not Maharashtra?
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