Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of government hospitals in Nanded And Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, seeking 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 details about the state’s budgetary allocation for health on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, an advocate, Mohit Khanna, had submitted a letter to the bench requesting it to take suo motu cognizance 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, the percentage (of funds) the government is spending and so on.
However, in the afternoon session, the bench said it was taking suo motu cognizance of the issue noting that reasons given by the doctors at the hospitals citing shortage of beds, staff, and essential medicines cannot be accepted.
The HC said it would hear the matter on Thursday.
Khanna in his letter stated 31 deaths, including those of infants, were recorded at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in 48 hours since September 30.
The letter also mentioned that the deaths of 18 patients, including infants, were recorded between October 2 and 3 at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
The Maharashtra Cabinet earlier discussed the Nanded Hospital deaths in a meeting, news agency ANI reported, after it came to light that 24 patients died in a 24-hour period at the state government-run hospital.
More Deaths in Nanded Hospital Horror
Authorities on Tuesday confirmed that seven more deaths occurred at the same facility between October 1 and 2.
The Cabinet may decide on forming an inquiry committee over the incidenMt,aharashtra government officials said.
The District Information Office (DIO) of Nanded, located around 280 km from here, confirmed this on a social media platform, which took the total count of the deceased patients in the hospital in 48 hours to 31.
Earlier, 24 deaths were reported at the hospital in 24 hours between September 30 and October 1.
Congress demands probe, Kharge slams state health apparatus
The Congress on Tuesday demanded a thorough investigation into 24 deaths at a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Nanded, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge raising questions on the state government’s health system.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge expressed his concern over the deaths.
‘It is said that these patients died due to lack of medicines and treatment. A similar incident took place in a government hospital in Thane in August 2023 in which 18 patients lost their lives,’ Mr Kharge said.
‘Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Such incidents taking place repeatedly have raised a question mark on the health system of the state government,’ the Congress chief said, hitting out at the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.
‘We demand a thorough investigation so that the culprits of this negligence are given strict punishment by the judiciary,’ he said.
FIR against MP who made Dean clean toilet
A first information report has been filed against MP Hemant Patil a day after he had made the acting dean of a government hospital in Nanded, to clean a washroom.
A video of the incident went viral on social media.
Later, Patil, who belongs to the Eknath Shinde-faction of the Shiv Sena, told reporters that he was pained to see the situation in the government, according to PTI.
“The government spends crores but I am pained to see the situation here,” he said. The toilets have not been cleaned for months. The toilets in the wards of the hospital are locked. No water is available in toilets.”
Patil’s actions were criticized by the Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors, which also demanded an unconditional apology from the MP.
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