THE Bombay High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the deaths at two state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar cities and noted that the reasons given by doctors citing the shortage of beds, staff, and essential medicines cannot be accepted. The HC also sought details from the Maharashtra Government. A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor asked Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the State Government, to submit to the bench the details about the state’s budgetary allocation for health on Friday. Earlier in the day, an advocate, Mohit Khanna, had submitted a letter to the benchrequesting it to take suo motu cognisance of the deaths.

 

The bench initially directed Khanna to file a petition and said it wanted to issue effective orders. It also asked the advocate to gather data regarding vacancies in the hospitals, availability of medicine, thepercentage (offunds)the governmentis spending and so on. However, in the afternoon session, the bench said it was taking suo motu cognisance of the issue noting thatreasons given by the doctors atthe hospitals citing shortage of beds, staff, and essential medicines cannot be accepted.

 

“Short age of staff,essential medicines and beds...If deaths are happening due to these reasons, then it cannot be accepted,” CJ Upadhyaya said. Saraf told the bench that he would submit all details on the issue. The HC said it would hear the matter on Friday. Khanna in his letter stated 31 deaths, including thoseofinfants, wererecordedattheDrShankarrao ChavanGovernmentMedicalCollege andHospital in Nanded in 48 hours since September 30.