Supreme Court directs States to fix reasonable charges for ambulance service in the COVID-19 pandemic

The Supreme Court on Friday directed states across the nation to fix a reasonable price for ambulance services amid concerns over ambulance providers charging an exorbitant amount for giving service to COVID-19 patients.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed states across the nation to fix a reasonable price for ambulance services amid concerns over ambulance providers charging an exorbitant amount for giving service to COVID-19 patients.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan on a PIL filed by an organisation called ‘Earth’ said that the states must adhere to the Centre’s standard operating procedure (SOP) in aspects relating to transportation as well among other things.

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The bench also said that the states must ensure that the number of ambulances is sufficient to ferry patients.

“State governments will fix reasonable charge and all ambulances will be provided on that charge,” said the bench. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already issued the SOP in this regard and all states “will have to implement it”, it added.

The SOP laid down by the central government on March 29 issued various guidelines including the ones for medical staff attending to or transporting COVID-19 confirmed or suspected cases.