Woman approaches SC for getting financial help from PM Cares fund to treat post-Covid complications in her husband

New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): A woman who spent almost Rs 1 crore for the treatment of her Covid infected husband, knocked 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.
The woman petitioner, Sheela Mehra, has filed a plea before the Supreme Court through her lawyer, Krishna Kumar Singh and was drawn by Mukesh Kumar.
Sheela said that she married Manish Kumar Gohiya last year in June, and both of them work as Software Developer in an IT Company. Unfortunately, on May 04, 2021, Manish was found to be COVID-19 positive and his oxygen level started decreasing from May 09, as a result of which he was admitted in a private hospital in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh on May 10.
Sheela further claimed in her petition filed before the Supreme Court that high doses of steroids were administered on Manish, resulting to worsening of his lungs condition, 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. She, however, also made it clear that she is in the process of mobilising 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.
"My husband is in critical condition and arrangement of requisite funds may take some time," Sheela in her petition said.
It is also stated by her that the Madhya Pradesh government has also extended all co-operation till date, even then, Sheela had has a reasonable apprehension that her husband's treatment may be prejudiced owing to delay on part of respondent officials delay in financial assistance.
"Slightest of delay in treatment may prove to be fatal to the life of the husband of the petitioner," the petition read, and Sheela prayed that the respondent hospital be directed to continue with the treatment process, even if the medical bill is paid a little bit delayed.
Sheela stated that she has a prima facie case in her favour and the balance of convenience also lies in favour of her and against the respondents.
Irreparable loss shall be caused to the petitioner (Sheela) if the present application is not allowed, Sheela said in her petition filed before the Supreme Court.
Further, she said that she is in dire need of money for defraying 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 constraints.
The patient is currently on ECMO support and undergoing lung fibrosis post-Covid-19 treatment at the respondent hospital, Sheela 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."
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.
"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.
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.
The said national fund has been set up with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation such as the one posed by COVID- 19 pandemic and to provide relief to the affected citizenry, Sheela further said in her petition filed before the Supreme Court and sought appropriate directions and orders from it forthwith. (ANI)