Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has issued notice to all the government medical colleges in the State raising concern over allegations of poor healthcare services. The notice has been issued to Superintendent, Chairman and Dean of the medical colleges along with Health Secretary and Directorate of Medical Education & Training (DMET).
The High Court has registered a PIL based on a media report citing poor healthcare facilities at SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack. The court cited the media report which claimed that out of three CT Scan machines in the hospital, one is not functioning and so patients are compelled to approach and avail the services of local private diagnostics centres by spending huge amount of money.
Mentioning about MKCG Medical College & Hospital, the court said that therapy wings of the hospital are also facing problems to serve cancer patients due to scarcity of staff, technician and necessary equipment like Hi-tech centrifuge machines in the blood bank.
"Right to health is integral to the right to life and the government has a constitutional obligation to provide health facilities. Failure of government hospitals to provide timely medical treatment to patients results in violation of patients' right to life," the notice read.
The court also said that since urgent attention is needed for a wholesome approach to provide better healthcare service in the State, it has become necessary to ascertain whether the required equipment/machines in the hospitals are available or not and what steps have been taken for its procurement.
The next hearing of the case has been scheduled on March 2