NEW DELHI—Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was transferred from Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital to the private Medanta Hospital in Gurugram after the Delhi High Court ordered that he be moved to the medical facility of his choice while remaining under continuous medical supervision during his ongoing hunger strike.
The division bench directed that Wangchuk's medical records and test reports be handed over to a panel of doctors at Medanta, which the court instructed to constitute for his treatment. The judges said the transfer would help safeguard his fundamental rights while ensuring continuity of care, according to the court order and legal reporting.
Wangchuk, 59, has been on a hunger strike since late June as part of a youth-led protest seeking the resignation of India's education minister over alleged irregularities in medical college entrance examinations. He was taken from the protest site at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital after authorities cited concerns about his deteriorating health and the need for medical monitoring.
The latest court order came after an appeal filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, who sought his transfer to a private hospital, arguing that he should receive treatment at a facility of his choosing. During the hearing, the federal government told the court it had no objection to the transfer, provided he continued to follow medical advice and did not leave the hospital against doctors' recommendations.
The High Court reviewed medical reports and heard submissions from government doctors, specialists and Wangchuk's physicians before concluding that continuous monitoring remained necessary because of the prolonged fast. The court also directed that treatment protocols be coordinated between Safdarjung Hospital and Medanta to avoid disruption in his care.
Following the transfer, Wangchuk's wife welcomed the decision, saying she was relieved that he had been moved from the government hospital. She said he intended to continue his hunger strike while receiving medical supervision at the private facility.
Later on Tuesday, India's Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Minister of State Jitendra Singh visited Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital, according to reports citing official sources. No detailed medical update on his condition was immediately released, and the court's directions requiring ongoing medical monitoring remain in effect.
