Delhi High Court. , photo credit: file photo
The Delhi High Court has directed the Center to immediately release Rs five crore to AIIMS for the treatment of children suffering from rare diseases.
Hearing a batch of petitions representing children with rare diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Hunter syndrome, a division bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh directed the central government to disburse the funds within two weeks.
The petitioners had submitted that the medicines and treatments for these diseases are exorbitantly expensive, and therefore sought free treatment.
Justice Singh said, “It is expected that by the next date, the Union of India shall remove the remaining issues in the working of the policy, so that necessary remedies are also provided to all other persons covered by the policy at the earliest.” ,
The court said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should depute a senior officer, at least of the level of Joint Secretary, to attend the proceedings on March 1, the next date of hearing.