A woman who spent almost Rs 1 crore for the treatment of her Covid infected husband had to knock the doors of the Supreme Court pleading it to pass immediately the appropriate directions and order to the concerned authorities for her financial help from PM Cares Fund.
Sheela Mehra, the woman petitioner has recently filed a plea before the Supreme Court through her lawyer, Krishna Kumar Singh and was drawn by Mukesh Kumar. Sheela said last year in June she married Manish Kumar Gohiya and both of them work as Software Developer in an IT Company.
Unfortunately, on May 04, 2021, Manish was found to be coronavirus positive and his oxygen level started decreasing from May 09, hence he was admitted in a private hospital in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh on May 10.
In her petition filed before the Supreme Court Sheela further claimed that high doses of steroids were given to Manish which led to worsening of his lungs condition even more, thereby causing further decline in oxygen level.
During the medical treatment, Sheela, in her petition, a copy accessed by ANI, filed before the Supreme Court, claimed that she has already spent more than Rs 1 crore in the medical treatment of Manish and she is in the process of mobilizing further resources for his treatment.
Sheela sought an order from the Supreme Court thereby directing the officials of the Union of India (UOI) and other appropriate authorities–PM Cares Fund, PM Relief Fund, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, and others — to consider and release the requisite funds in terms of the estimated cost, as has been demanded by the hospital, where Manish is being treated for COVID-19.
Sheela in her petition said, “My husband is in critical condition and arrangement of requisite funds may take some time.”
Sheela had anxiety that her husband’s treatment may be prejudiced owing to delay on part of respondent officials delay in financial assistance. It is also stated by her that the Madhya Pradesh government has also extended all co-operation till date.
The petition read, “Slightest of delay in treatment may prove to be fatal to the life of the husband of the petitioner,” and she prayed that the respondent hospital be directed to continue with the treatment process, even if the medical bill is paid a little bit delayed.
She has a prima facie case in her favour and the balance of convenience also lies in favour of her and against the respondents, Sheela stated.
For paying the daily medical expenses of her husband including the cost of a lung transplant which is estimated to be around Rs 55 lakh failing which she might lose her husband because of financial limitations because of this she is in a dire need of money, she said.
Sheela said in her petition filed before the Supreme Court said, irreparable loss shall be caused to the petitioner (Sheela) if the present application is not allowed.
The patient is currently on ECMO support and undergoing lung fibrosis post-Covid-19 treatment at the respondent hospital, the petitioner said and added that the chances of his survival without a lungs transplant is minimal.
Sheela also stated that she is entitled to relief “on the basis of equity justice and good conscience.”
“There is no other equally efficacious alternate remedy available to the Petitioner (Sheela) for the relief prayed for in this petition,” Sheela said in her petition filed before the Supreme Court.
She said that she has legitimate expectations of help from the Government in the current situation of financial distress for saving the life of her husband.
The Respondent, Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) is a public charitable trust being registered under the Registration Act, 1908 at New Delhi, on March 27, 2020.