Karan Tripathi | Live Law | 24 April 2020
Delhi High Court has directed Delhi Government to ensure that the helpline number which is proposed to be set up within two days, for assisting senior citizens in Delhi, is also made available to pregnant ladies.
While taking the assurances given by the government of record, the Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad has also directed the Delhi Government to publicise the said helpline number through newspapers and the social media as also through the Delhi Police, wherever possible.
The court said:
‘Central Government and the Delhi Government shall work in tandem to make sure that no barriers are faced by pregnant ladies and their family members residing in hot spots during the lockdown.’
Filed by Sama Resource Group for Women and Health, the petition sought access to timely, proper and affordable reproductive and neonatal healthcare services for all women and their newborn children.
In today’s proceedings, Advocate Vrinda Grover, who appeared for the Petitioner, informed the court that due to the COVID·19 pandemic, duties of most of the Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives (ANMs) have been diverted to COVID related work and therefore, they are not readily available for assistance.