HC takes suo moto cognizance of Nanded hospital deaths

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the deaths at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College Hospital in Nanded, where 35 patients including 16 children died. The court has asked the state government to submit details about its budgetary allocation for health.

The court demanded details about budgetary allocations and warned the state that if the deaths were due to a lack of manpower or medicines it would not be tolerated at all.

A division bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor took cognizance of a letter written by Advocate Mohit Khanna. “Extra-ordinary events have taken place between September 30 and October 3 concerning the health of citizens of the State of Maharashtra...31 deaths of patients, including 16 infants at the Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College in Nanded and 18 deaths of patients at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar between 2nd and 3rd October,” the letter said.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf appeared in court and volunteered to give information. The court then asked to know the budgetary allocation for health as well as inform about the availability and vacancy of specialist doctors and other staff. The court kept the matter on Thursday.

“The media reports, including statements issued by the doctors suggest shortage beds, doctors and essential medicines as being the primary reasons for the deaths of the patients...While the government of Maharashtra appears to have initiated an enquiry regarding the incidents, one can only imagine the plight of the citizens who cannot afford healthcare and are dependent on the government for the same as well as the relatives of those beavered,” advocate Khanna wrote in the letter to the HC.

The Eknath Shinde government has come under fire after 31 deaths, including those of 16 children, were recorded in 72 hours in the Nanded hospital.

Apart from the deaths in Nanded, Mr Khanna's letter also referred to 18 fatalities, including those of infants, at a government hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.