Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court on Thursday asked Sola Civil Hospital authorities to provide necessary treatment to a rape survivor after she complained that the hospital was not admitting her.The 19-year-old rape survivor from Sanand was earlier treated in the hospital for four days. When she requested the doctors to terminate her 21-week pregnancy, the hospital authorities told her to get an order from a competent court. After she was discharged, she filed a petition in the HC seeking directions to the hospital authorities to abort her fetus under the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel told the court that the survivor was present at the hospital and was seeking admission, but authorities had refused to admit her. He said that she had been complaining of stomach pain.Upon hearing this, Justice M R Mengdey inquired with the petitioner’s lawyer why the victim was insisting on getting admitted to the hospital. The judge, however, asked the hospital authorities to do the needful. “It is also made clear that if the petitioner requires any other treatment, the hospital authorities shall look into the same and provide the necessary treatment to her.” The court also ordered the head of the gynaecology department and a panel of doctors to examine the survivor for termination of pregnancy and submit their opinion on the risks involved in the procedure. The report has been sought by April 13.
