Delhi High Court Orders Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk's Transfer to Medanta Hospital

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered immediate shifting of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital for further treatment, as reported by PTI. The decision was taken in response to plea filed by his wife Gitanjali J Angmo seeking transfer to a private facility.

Earlier on Sunday, the court had rejected the plea, declining to pass any interim order on the matter. Wangchuk's wife Angmo petitioned the court alleging he was being held in "illegal detention".

In her appeal, Angmo contended that the single judge's Sunday order illegally confines Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital without any arrest and effectively directs that neither the activist nor his wife has decisive authority in determining his medical treatment.

Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike since June 28 in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that is demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leaks.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the Centre had 'no objection' to shifting Wangchuk to Medanta, describing it as a reputed hospital.

He noted that Wangchuk should continue to remain under medical supervision and should not be discharged except on the advice of Medanta's doctors.

"We are very happy. I would also like to thank the Delhi High Court very much for disposing of this matter favourably because in India, a democratic citizen has the right to choose their choice of doctor and hospital, and what their treatment should be; they themselves can choose that. And here there was a great trust deficit because of the way Sonam was brought, and then he was placed in the ICU, where there was no need to keep him," Angmo told reporters after Delhi HC said to pass order on shifting Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in post-lunch session.

The Delhi Police picked the activist from the protest site where he had been fasting and moved him to hospital against his wish. The police said they were acting on the orders of the same court last week to monitor Wangchuk's health and intervene if it worsens.

The court on Sunday, observed that the Centre's decision to shift Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital was not arbitrary as it was taken in view of his deteriorating medical condition and an earlier Division Bench order directing regular medical monitoring.

It further noted that Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike for 17-18 days when he was shifted to the government hospital after his vital parameters worsened.

Wangchuk continued was receiving medical treatment at Safdarjung Hospital under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of doctors.

According to the latest hospital bulletin, his vital parameters are stable, though his blood sugar levels continue to remain on the lower side and his serum potassium level was recorded at 3.2 mEq/L.

Safdarjung hospital added that Wangchuk was receiving oral rehydration therapy and oral potassium supplementation but continued to decline intravenous fluids and glucose administration despite medical advice.