Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench on Wednesday expressed concern over unavailability of facilities at government hospitals and sought to know whether recently-established medical colleges across Uttar Pradesh are facing shortages of essential equipment and specialist doctors.
A bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla was hearing a PIL concerning the death of a newborn who was allegedly denied timely access to a ventilator, oxygen-supported bed and specialist care, in a government hospital in Sultanpur district.
The court directed senior officials of the Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department, King George's Medical University (KGMU), Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) and the Sultanpur chief medical officer to join the proceedings through video conferencing on September 11.
The officials have been asked to examine the allegations in the petition and earlier court orders concerning medical facilities before appearing before the court.
The PIL, filed by Ashutosh Kumar Singh, alleged that a newborn delivered at the Government Autonomous Medical College, Sultanpur, developed congenital complications and required a ventilator and a paediatric surgeon. However, neither was available at the college, which was established around three years ago.
The child was subsequently referred to KGMU, RMLIMS and SGPGI, but an oxygen-supported or appropriate bed was allegedly unavailable at every facility. The newborn eventually died within 24 hours of birth, the petition said.
Expressing concern over unavailability of facilities in government hospitals, the bench said newly-established medical colleges conducting deliveries should have essential equipment and specialist doctors to handle emergencies.
The court also sought to know whether similar deficiencies exist in other recently opened medical colleges in the state and directed officials to explain whether an effective mechanism suggested in earlier proceedings has been implemented.
The matter will be heard next on September 11.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.