 seeking direction to the respondent to ensure proper medical facilities to the needy people, punishment for the careless staff and penalising the mischievous.){kind=link}
The Chhattisgarh High Court has disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to the respondent to ensure proper medical facilities to the needy people, punishment for the careless staff and penalising the mischievous.
The PIL filed by one S.B. Pandey further seeks direction to the respondent authority to make sure to provide better medical facilities to the needy people of state and make a stiff rule against the careless staff who are waster and throw out the important medicines which are not expired.
On 04.05.2023, the Court had passed the following order:
“Heard Mr. S.B. Pandey, petitioner in person and Mr. Raghvendra Pradhan, learned Additional Advocate General, appearing for the State/respondents.
The petitioner, appearing in person, who is an Advocate by profession, has filed this public interest litigation petition depicting the pathetic condition of the medical services because of which people of the State are suffering.
The petitioner has drawn attention of this Court towards the vacancies and lack of medical staff in the Government Hospitals and Dispensaries. He would further submit that medicines are let to expire without its distribution to the needy persons.
Even those medicines which have not expired have also been thrown/destroyed, which is a waste of public exchequer.
In view of the above submissions, learned Counsel for the State/respondents is directed to seek instructions.
The Director, Health Services, Chhattisgarh, is directed to file an affidavit in response to the averments made in the petition before the next date of hearing. List this case again on 11.05.2023.”
In compliance with the order dated 04.05.2023 passed by the High Court, an affidavit has been filed by the Director, Directorate of Health Services, Government of Chhattisgarh, which is on record.
The Bench noted from the said affidavit that certain explanations have been given by the Director, Directorate of Health Services that the news that has been published in the newspaper regarding the sorry state of affairs of the medicine and medical health in the state.
Considering the fact that Director, Directorate of Health Services has now taken efforts to curb out misuse of the medicines, which have expired or going to expire by filing the affidavit and the assurance given by the Advocate General that medical services in the state would be maintained by the state so that needy gets treatment and medicines at a proper time, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rakesh Mohan Pandey disposed of the petition.