Bihar: Government flayed for lack of facilities in hospitals

PATNA: The Patna high court on Monday expressed concern over lack of infrastructure in government hospitals. While hearing a PIL filed by Vikas Chandra alias Guddu Baba, a single bench of Justice Jyoti Saran expressed displeasure over lack of adequate facilities in government hospitals. He was also surprised to know that pharmacist posts were lying vacant in premier hospitals such as Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology in Patna.
Justice Saran warned principal secretary (health) against non-compliance of an earlier directive and said the court would impose a penalty of Rs 50,000 on him if he failed to adhere to the order. Holding the state government accountable for providing medical facilities to people, Justice Saran said the bureaucracy was no less responsible for the malaise. “It’s the prime responsibility of the state government to ensure medical facilities to citizens. But the lethargic process to accomplish the task is also to blame for the sorry state of affairs in the government hospitals,” Justice Saran remarked. The next date of hearing is on July 1.