Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered all public and private hospitals across the province to reopen emergency wards and outpatient departments (OPDs) immediately to treat the patients suffering from various ailments.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar issued the orders on a petition against the non-provision of treatment to general patients at public and private hospitals in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

The petition was filed by two lawyers who said that first aid or any other kind of treatment to general patients was not being offered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asim Iqbal and Nadeem Shaikh, the petitioners, said that instead of patients being provided medical treatment for various diseases and accidents, they were asked to provide coronavirus test results.

Showing annoyance over hospitals' administrations, the bench said that action will be taken against those health facilities where patients are not being provided treatment. "We should know how patients are being treated at emergency wards and OPDs in hospitals]" said Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar and remarked "Is it necessary to take coronavirus tests of patients who are suffering from other diseases?"

He said that poor segments of society sought treatment at public hospitals and observed that how things would function if hospitals' administrations did not correct their ways.

The petitioner's counsel cited the example of a police officer who died from coronavirus as he could not get treated. He said that OPDs were functioning as per routine in private hospitals.

"If the poor are not treated at government hospitals than this is unacceptable," remarked Justice Mazhar.

The lawyer informed the court that patients who came to hospitals for treatment of other illnesses were asked to have themselves tested for coronavirus.

"Patients suffering from heart attacks are dying due to delays in the coronavirus test reports," said the lawyer.

The high court directed all parties to the case to submit a report by May 19.

In previous hearing, the SHC had issued notices to the national health services, provincial health secretary, three major government hospitals and five private hospitals to appear before the court over the matter.

The Sindh government had ordered OPDs of major hospitals across the province to remain closed in March after the coronavirus cases in the country had increased to a little over 200.

Meanwhile, the SHC bench ordered public transport sector to give recommendations of SOPs for inter city bus operation in the province to Sindh Government.

The bench issued orders after transporters moved the court that they would follow SOPs of government with the plea that they should be allowed to run the buses.

The provincial government attorney said that transporters' plea would be presented before National Coordination Committee after the court asked the provincial government to look into this issue.