Thalassemia patients: HC orders inspection of ‘mismanaged’ govt hosp
Kolkata: Taking note of the conditions from photographs submitted, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the principal secretary of Health department to conduct an immediate inspection of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Medical College & Hospital, Uluberia which is allegedly ill-equipped to treat Thalassemia patients and is violating sections of West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation & Transparency) Rules while failing to meet the “minimum standard requirements” issued by Medical Council of India (MCI).
The bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya was hearing a PIL on Thursday where the petitioner’s counsel submitted few photographs of the hospital and said it is “disastrously mismanaged” and unequipped with modern technologies such as component separation system for treatment of thalassemia patients. It was alleged that the hospital not only violates standard operating procedures guideline of Haemoglobinopathies Control Programme issued by Directorate of Health Services of the state government but also does not meet the minimum standard requirements for the medical college set by MCI. The hospital violates innumerable sections of the West Bengal West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation & Transparency) Rules, 2017. The counsel further submitted the hospital does not even have ambulances.
Apart from filing a report on the matter, the Chief Justice directed the principal secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare to nominate one senior officer from their department to conduct an inspection of the medical institution in the presence of principal, medical superintendent, additional super, and medical officer-in-charge of the blood bank.
“During the course of inspection, a comprehensive study shall be made of all facilities which are required to be provided in the hospital and how to upgrade the facility so as to treat the patients who are suffering from rare disease for which the hospital is said to be a specialised hospital. In the report to be filed by the concerned authority all features shall be highlighted. We also make it clear that it is not necessary for the Health department and the respondent hospital to wait for further directions in this writ petition as it is the responsibility of the state to provide good healthcare to its citizens. Therefore, we are confident that the authorities before the next date will implement the necessary remedial measures and report before this court about the action taken”.
“It is pointed out that the blood bank in the hospital does not have the requisite facility for blood separation. This matter has also to be looked into since the patients being treated in that hospital require such a facility. Another aspect which if it is found to be true, is startling which is that the hospital does not have an ambulance. If that be so the same should be forthwith be remedied and ambulances shall be immediately provided without undue delay. Let the report be filed within eight weeks from date,” the court ordered.
