The Bombay High Court has issued a directive to the Maharashtra government to produce a detailed affidavit by February 20, outlining a clear recruitment timeline for filling vacant positions in state-run hospitals. This order comes amidst heightened scrutiny over the state’s inability to address staffing shortages in its healthcare facilities, which has been linked to numerous patient deaths.
During a hearing of a suo moto public interest litigation concerning the deaths of at least 38 patients, including 18 infants, in government hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar from September 30 to October 4, the court expressed grave concerns. The deaths have raised serious questions about the adequacy of medical care in these facilities.
Advocate Mohit Khanna, representing the case, pointed out that despite 139 advertisements for 558 posts over the past three years, there has been minimal progress in the recruitment process. The intervenor, Jan Arogya Abhiyan, criticized the state for poor infrastructural development in healthcare settings, noting that only 7.25% of the allocated budget has been spent on medicines and medical supplies.
Government Pleader Neha Bhide assured the court that the full budget would be utilized by March 31, promising rapid improvements in the coming months. However, the court challenged this timeline, emphasizing the urgency needed in addressing healthcare needs. “The patients require immediate medical treatment. Why do you have to stretch it to March? A patient waiting for treatment may not survive till then,” the bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre remarked.
The high court has requested a comprehensive report, not only on the recruitment status but also on infrastructural developments, current vacancies, and the effectiveness of previous job advertisements. The justices stressed the need for practical solutions to mend the “ailing” healthcare system and indicated their readiness to issue necessary directives to ensure timely and effective healthcare delivery.
