Delhi High Court Weighs Moving Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk to Medanta Hospital

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court found itself at the centre of a rather human story – the fight to move a patient, and climate activist, from a government hospital to a private one of his own choosing. The bench, comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, listened to the heartfelt plea of Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of Sonam Wangchuk.

Wangchuk, who has been under treatment at Safdarjung Hospital for the past few weeks, has been grappling with a stubbornly low white‑blood‑cell count and falling haemoglobin levels. Doctors from AIIMS, Safdarjung and his own attending physicians testified that he is “vulnerable to infection” and would benefit from a setting where closer monitoring is possible.

Earlier, a single‑judge order had denied an interim relief that would have allowed him to leave for a private facility. Not satisfied, Angmo turned to the Division Bench, arguing that her husband feels unsafe at Safdarjung and that Medanta – the private hospital he prefers, located in Gurgaon – can offer the specialised care he needs.

Representing the Union, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the Centre has no objection to the transfer, provided it is done on medical advice and not against any professional recommendation. He added that the court’s order should simply echo the opinion of Medanta’s doctors before any discharge is signed.

Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, who appeared for Angmo, read out a letter from Wangchuk himself, expressing concern over the “crowded wards” and “inadequate infection‑control measures” at Safdarjung. He asked the court to recognise the patient’s right to choose a hospital where he feels secure.

After hearing the parties, the bench indicated a willingness to permit the shift, noting that a formal order would be pronounced later that day. While no final decision was recorded in the snippet, the tone suggested that the judges were leaning toward honoring the petitioner’s request, subject to medical clearance.

For now, Wangchuk remains at Safdarjung, awaiting the court’s definitive order. The case underscores how legal channels are sometimes the only route families can take when they feel the public health system falls short of a loved one’s needs.