PTI
New Delhi
The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Safdarjung Hospital here to file Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s pathological reports and health bulletins and said that it would take a call on Tuesday on the plea by the fasting activist’s wife Gitanjali Angmo to shift him to a private facility.
Asserting that its concern was to “save” Wangchuk’s life, the court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to bring on record a complete compilation of his medical reports.
Wangchuk continues to receive medical treatment at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, with his vital parameters remaining stable, according to his latest medical update issued on Monday.
Doctors said while Wangchuk’s blood-sugar levels remain on the lower side, other blood parameters have shown improvement following oral-rehydration therapy (ORS) and potassium-syrup supplementation.
The bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing an appeal by Angmo against a Sunday order of the high court refusing to interfere with his ongoing treatment at the central government hospital.
“We direct that all pathological reports of the husband of the appellant, based on samples analysed at the labs of Safdarjung and AIIMS and a private lab, shall be filed on an affidavit sworn by the director of respondent no. 4 (Safdarjung Hospital),” the court ordered.
“It is directed that the respondent no 4, while filing the affidavit, will also bring on record all the medical bulletins issued by it from time to time,” it added.
“The report should include today’s sample analysis”, said the bench.
It asked the in-charge director of AIIMS as well as the AIIMS emergency doctor treating Wangchuk to be present at the hearing on Tuesday, and also sought the presence of the doctor who was treating him earlier.
The Safdarjung hospital had on Sunday said Wangchuk had been given required medical care by the treating teams of doctors from VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS, New Delhi.
“The court’s concern is to save his life first. We are not concerned with any other thing. Therefore whatever samples you have, analyse please. compile these report and file it on affidavit,” the court said.
The bench also asked Angmo to file the reports of Wangchuk’s blood analysis, which were stated to have been undertaken at her behest at a private lab.
Senior advocate Akhil Sibal, arguing on behalf of Angmo, said Wangchuk was picked up from Jantar Mantar on Saturday and taken to Safdarjung without any consultation and in the absence of any medical emergency, purportedly under the bench’s July 16 order asking the authorities to monitor his health and medically intervene if necessary.
Asserting the right to accept medical treatment or oversight at a hospital of one’s choice and bodily autonomy, Sibal said the sequence of events has resulted in a “loss of trust”, and Wangchuk, who was not under any detention, should be permitted to be discharged from Safdarjung Hospital.
