HC directs personal appearance of Health Secy over doc vacancies

Source: newindianexpress.com

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday directed State Health and Family Welfare department Secretary to appear in person on September 30 for not complying with its order to intimate the status of doctor vacancies at the medical colleges and district headquarter hospitals.

While hearing a PIL filed by High Court lawyer Chittaranjan Mohanty, the division bench of Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra ordered the State Government to file the status report by September 30.The PIL alleged that sanctioned posts of doctors in district headquarters hospitals (DHH) and three medical college hospitals in Cuttack, Burla and Berhampur were not being filled up to serve the interest of private nursing homes and clinics. The PIL has sought direction to the State Government to equip all DHHs with life saving equipment and medicines.

The bench issued the direction after the petitioner appeared in person and pointed out that the August 5 order of HC had not been complied with.

The HC had earlier asked the State Government to file information by way of affidavit on number of vacancies of doctors filled up and pending. It had also asked Government to put up this matter on September 23, 2019. Learned counsel for the State will also file report as against each of the prayers made in the writ petition, the court had stated.

According to the petition, ultra modern testing equipment are either not available in Government hospitals or are lying defunct due to which the patients have no option but to go to nearby private testing clinics who demand higher price.

“If DHHs get enthusiastic specialists, trained staff and modern equipment, many lives could be saved but unfortunately, except Capital Hospital, all DHHs are in a very bad condition”, the petition said.
The petition has also pointed out the activities of dalals in influencing patients and diverting them to private facilities. The Court had first taken up the PIL in April last year.