SHC summons Senior Citizens Council chief on plea against failure to implement law

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the chairman of the Senior Citizens Council and social welfare department secretary to appear before the court on a petition seeking the enforcement of a law providing for a 25 per cent concession to the senior citizens during medical treatment at private hospitals.

The petitioner, the Legal Aid Society, had submitted in the petition that the Sindh Senior Citizens Welfare Act had been promulgated in 2014 and its section 5(f) provided that the Senior Citizens Council shall provide free geriatric, medical and health services to the senior citizens with free medicines as provided by the respective government hospital medical officer and a 25 per cent concession to them at all the private hospitals, medical centres and clinics.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that during the current pandemic crisis, private hospitals were overcharging Covid-19 patients and it was very difficult for the patients, especially the senior citizens, to bear the medical expenses at private health facilities.

He submitted that the private hospitals were exploiting senior citizens by making fortune out of their miseries and charging Rs50,000 to Rs150,000 per day for treatment at their general wards and intensive care units.

The lawyer said that due to the lack of cost regulation in the country, the private hospitals were capitalising on the plight of patients, particularly senior citizens, and making exorbitant profits.

He submitted that the SHC had on December 12 last year ordered the enforcement and implementation of the Sindh Senior Citizens Welfare Act. He requested the high court to direct the provincial government to ensure the implementation of the law, especially its section 5(f).

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed the directorate of social welfare director general (DG), who is also the chairman of the Senior Citizens Council established under the law, and the provincial social welfare department secretary to appear before the court on November 25 and submit their comments.

The SHC had earlier directed the council to religiously and diligently perform all the functions for the implementation of various provisions of the law for the betterment and well-being of the senior citizens. The high court had also directed the Sindh government to notify the rules within 45 days in accordance with the Section 19 of the Act.

Many petitions are being heard by the high court regarding the government’s failure to implement various laws promulgated for the welfare of various segments of society.

On October 2, the SHC took exception to the non-implementation of the Sindh Child Protection Authority (SCPA) law, which was promulgated in 2011, and directed the SCPA DG to submit a detailed progress report with regard to efforts made for the proper implementation of the law.

The direction came on a petition seeking the implementation of the Sindh Child Protection Authority law in the province.