The order was given in the course of two writ petition which sought proper medical equipment to be supplied in the hospitals which were battling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ravindra Maithani that the medical equipment was particularly for the protection of doctors, nurses and paramedics who were at the frontline of the battle.

The Bench was informed that the dedicated hospitals of Almora, Bageswhar and B.D. Pandey Hospital, Nainital did not have ventilators, despite it being a mandatory facility in a case of a contingency. The Bench was further informed that some of the hospitals did not have an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as well.

It was categorically noted by the Bench that, even though there was a shortage of ventilators, the principal requirement of a Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital was that it must have a ventilator facility.

"We fail to understand as to why these Dedicated COVID-19 Hospitals are not having ventilators, as yet".

On that note, the Bench directed that the State Government to "at least install one, possibly two, ventilators in these hospitals, within a period of one week" from the date of the order.

The State Government was also granted the liberty to bring to the notice of the Court any suitable correction/review in case any practical and logistical problem arose with compliance of the order.

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