A division of bench of Chief Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice A Bimol of the High Court of Manipur directed state government, director of health services and chief medical officer of Pherzawl district to take immediate steps on issues pertaining to carrying sick person in bamboo stretcher to avail medical treatment in the hill districts of Manipur.
The court further directed deputy commissioner of Pherzawl district to make an on-spot inspection and take remedial measures to provide good roads and other facilities which the hill people require.
A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by J Dalthangsang of Saidan village claimed that sick people in the hill districts are carried in bamboo stretchers for health care and they had to travel for more than 50km from the various hill areas to the hospital or primary health centre.
In the PIL, the petitioner stated that there is no building for the primary health centre in Seivon village. There are no doctors and staff available and the nearest community health centre is at Parbung which is 20Km far away. Similarly, Parvachom village has no PHC building, no doctor and no staff. The nearest community health centre is at Parbung which is 99 km away. For Leisen village, there is no building for the public health sub-centre, no doctors and staff are available, and the nearest hospital is at Parbung 48 km away. For Lungthulen village, there is no building for the primary health sub-centre. No doctor and staff are available and the nearest hospital is Parbung community health centre and it is 7 km away, the PIL said.
It also stated that people in the hill areas are not able to get ante-natal care, intra-natal care and emergency medical facilities. The villages do not have good roads. The villagers have to carry the sick people in bamboo stretchers and by other models which are not helpful for the sick person, it said.
Accordingly, the High Court of Manipur took the matter into consideration and gave the directions to concerns.
All the concerns directed in the health sector should file a compliance report separately on medical care facilities. And the deputy commissioner should file a report to the registry within three months, the court directed.
