In connection with a PIL filed on the reported shortages of doctors, nurses and staff at Churachandpur District Hospital, the Manipur High Court on Friday issued an instruction to file a counter affidavit without fail in the next hearing on July 4.
The Public Interest litigation (PIL) was filed before the High Court on being aggrieved at state authorities’ alleged failure in deputing specialist doctors and adequate manpower at Churachandpur District Hospital and the shortage of doctors, nurses and other staffs, resulting in deprivation of healthcare services to the residents of Churachandpur.
Social activist Thanglianmung from Churachandpur filed the PIL to provide an adequate number of specialist doctors and other hospital staff as per the guidelines of the Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS) and to fill-up all the vacancies against the sanctioned posts.
The division bench of the High Court of Manipur on April 28, issued a notice to reply as an affidavit to the authorities concerning the number of posts that has been sanctioned at district hospital of Churachandpur; the numbers of posts that were filled up by appointment or transfer and whether the persons posted are actually working as on date at district hospital.
On the petition, it is stated that the district hospital which has 200 bedded facilities does not have enough specialist doctors and other staff to avail quality services and care to the patients. As a result, the effective functioning of the district hospital is greatly hampered. But the allocation of staff in the state of Manipur, particularly the Health Sector, is discriminative, it stated. “There is a huge ratio difference of staff in the hill and the valley areas, which has often led to degrading quality of health services facilities and loss of lives,” it added.
It stated that the number of sanctioned strength of Churachandpur District Hospital staff is 324. “However, there are only 205 men in position. Therefore, there are about 119 vacancies. And also there are about only 23 specialist doctors out of the 53 total sanctioned posts. Further, from among the vacant posts of specialist doctors, important posts like Neonatology and surgery are zero in position,” it further stated.
The petitioner mentioned that due to the outbreak of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the health sector of the entire country collapsed, and the authorities, in a bid to curb the further escalation of the pandemic, hired medical staff on contractual basis. Churachandpur district is not an exception to the plight of this dreadful pandemic, therefore it is vital for the authorities to take steps on such acute shortage of manpower in the district hospital.
The petitioner quoted that the Indian Public Health Standard (IPHS) Guidelines laid down the services that a District Hospital is expected to provide and group as Essential (Minimum Assured Services) and Desirable (which we should aspire to achieve). Minimum essential manpower required for a functional district hospital of a 200 bedded strength is about 166 for Medical and Para-medical and 66 for administrative staff excluding Grade-IV staff, it added.
