The Bombay
High Court has taken notice of dire conditions in two hospitals in
Maharashtra, particularly at a facility in Nanded where 31 deaths, including 16
children, were recorded within 72 hours. The court has demanded detailed
information regarding budgetary allocations and issued a stern warning to the
state, emphasising that if a lack of manpower or medicines caused these deaths,
such negligence would not be tolerated.
The
bench, led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, has instructed that these details
must be submitted by Friday. This action comes after an advocate, Mohit Khanna,
raised the issue, prompting the court to act on its own accord. Khanna had
highlighted 18 fatalities, including infants, at a government hospital in
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad).
The
shocking conditions at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and
Hospital in Nanded revealed that pigs roamed freely on the premises, raising
concerns about hygiene and cleanliness. Patients' relatives were observed
performing chores amidst unsanitary conditions, and there were visible signs of
neglect, including clogged drains and litter strewn around.
In
response, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that his government was taking
the deaths seriously, ordering an inquiry and pledging appropriate action. However,
the High Court's intervention underscores the urgency of addressing these
issues.
The
court's decision to intervene highlights the critical need for immediate
improvements in healthcare facilities, ensuring the safety and well-being of
patients.
Last
week, civic authorities ordered a structural audit of a different hospital, the
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa in Thane, where 18 patients died
in a 24-hour period on August 12 and 13, according to a report by PTI.
A
meeting chaired by Thane Municipal Corporation Chief Abhijit Bangar ordered
structural improvements, including increasing bed capacity, making the
outpatient department more comfortable, carrying out structural improvements,
decentralising overcrowded departments, and maximising doctors' time.
Work
on the improvement of the hostel is likely to be completed by October 20, while
work on the medical college building will take another five months, the release
quoted the commissioner as saying.