The Bombay High Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the appalling conditions at two hospitals in Maharashtra, particularly one in Nanded, where 31 deaths, including 16 children, were recorded in just 72 hours. The court has demanded information regarding budget allocations and sternly warned the state that any deaths resulting from insufficient manpower or medication will not be tolerated.
The court has set a deadline for the submission of these details by Friday, with a bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya overseeing the matter.
The initiative taken by the High Court follows an advocate, Mohit Khanna, who initially requested the bench to address the situation on its own accord. He was initially instructed to file a formal petition. However, hours later, the court took cognisance, referencing complaints from doctors at both hospitals regarding bed shortages, staff inadequacies, and medication deficiencies.
In addition to the tragic events in Nanded, Mr. Khanna’s letter also drew attention to 18 fatalities, including infants, at a government hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad). Of the 18 deaths, four were listed as ‘deceased on arrival,’ and two were pre-term babies weighing only 1,300 grams each, as reported by hospital Dean Sanjay Rathod. He emphasized that there was no significant disparity between the number of deaths and the total number of admissions.
The Bombay High Court’s intervention comes after a ground report by NDTV unveiled distressing conditions in Nanded, where pigs roamed freely on the hospital premises while patients’ relatives were forced to undertake chores. The report raised significant concerns about hygiene and cleanliness, fundamental expectations at any healthcare facility. Witnesses reported difficulties in accessing toilets and essential medicines, forcing them to seek these necessities outside the hospital.
A contractual sweeper at the hospital highlighted the lack of staff, with one worker responsible for multiple wards, and expressed concern over the presence of pigs on the premises, which fed on garbage due to inadequate cleaning.
Meanwhile, at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar hospital, a video circulated online showing the hospital’s Dean, Shyamrao Wakode, cleaning a filthy toilet on the instructions of an MP from the ruling Shiv Sena faction, Hemant Patil. Dean Wakode has rejected allegations of negligence.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde responded to the tragic deaths by stating that his government takes the situation “very seriously” and has ordered an inquiry. He firmly denied any shortages of medicines or staff, refuting the allegations made in this regard.
Sources By Agencies
