Bombay HC questions Maharashtra govt on steps taken to fill hospital vacancies

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 6 (ANI): Following the hearing on the recent deaths of patients at a government hospital in Nanded, the Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit on the steps taken for filling vacancies in government hospitals in the last six months.

The court has also asked the state government to mention the demand and supplies of medicines to the government hospitals in the last six months.

The high court has asked the medical procurement authority to file an affidavit in accordance to the Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023 on the purchase of medicines and its appointed and available staff.

The court has directed the procurement authority to mention whether its staff is for procurement only or are given charge of the authority in addition to it.

The affidavit filed by Principal Secretary of Medical Education should also give details of the institutions attached with Nanded for medical supplies in past one year. Similar details should also be provided by the Principal Secretary of the Public Health Department for other hospitals, the court said.

The Bombay High Court taking cognizance of the recent deaths of patients in the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Medical College and Hospital at Maharashtra’s Nanded district questioned the state government over less postings of Professors in the medical college.

“There are 97 approved posts of Professors in the medical college but only 49 are posted there at present, what would you say on that?” the court asked.

To this Attorney General Advocate Birendra Saraf, representing the Maharashtra government said that the state health services department is positive about the vacancies and those will be filled by November this year.

The high court also questioned the unavailability of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Medicine Procurement Board at the hospital to which the Attorney General said that a person is already having an additional charge of the board.

In response to this, the court questioned the state government saying that there must be a full-time and independent CEO of the medicine procurement board.

The court said that the problem of hospital staff both medic and paramedic must be addressed properly by government. It said that issues of procurement of medicines and other medical equipment is also important.

The Attorney General informed that recruitment process in medical colleges has been conducted by Maharashtra Public Service Commission and in other hospitals, doctors are being appointed by other recruitment process by the Public health department.

At least 31 people died in the government-run Dr Shankarrao Chavan Medical College and Hospital Nanded, reportedly due to an alleged scarcity of medicines.