Karnataka High Court orders setting up of panel to ensure healthcare facilities, infra across state

The bench said the three-member committee shall every six months collect and assess the relevant details from deterrent districts about the number of vacancies of medical staff in different categories, the need for upgrading or further extending the medical infrastructure and medical facilities to the various government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHC) run by the government.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to constitute a three-member committee, headed by the Secretary, Department of Health, to continuously oversee and implement the mechanism to ensure medical facility and infrastructure, including the medical and para-medical personnel at city, district and rural levels.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind said this while disposing of a suo motu PIL on the shortage of medical personnel/staff in primary health centers across the state.

The bench said the three-member committee shall every six months collect and assess the relevant details from deterrent districts about the number of vacancies of medical staff in different categories, the need for upgrading or further extending the medical infrastructure and medical facilities including medicines to the various government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHC) run by the government. The court further said the state government shall periodically, preferably every six months, undertake the survey of the PHCs in the rural areas for the purpose of upgradation in terms of medical facilities to be catered by them and also decide about establishing additional PHCs.

The suo motu PIL was registered based on media reports that there was a shortage of 723 MBBS doctors, 7,492 nurses, 1,517 lab technicians, 1,512 pharmacists, 1,752 attendants and 3,253 Group 'D' employees which constitute different categories of medical staff. Advocate Shridhar Prabhu assisted the court as amicus curiae in the proceedings.

The division bench perused the affidavits filed by the state and noted that considering the immediate requirement to medical services in the entire state, the state government not only has to continue the recruitment process already initiated to its logical end, but also has to file an affidavit setting out the timeline which it will adhere to for filling up the vacant posts for medical services.

It was submitted that as against the 2,355 sanctioned posts of medical officers 605 posts are vacant. Similarly, the number of vacancies in the post of Junior Laboratory Technicians is 642 (2324 sanctioned posts), pharmacists is 1,203 (2932 sanctioned posts) and Nursing Officers is 906 (6750 sanctioned posts). The authorities had submitted that the proposal for filling up all the vacant posts is underway.

“In respect of the present vacancies available in the different cadres as above, the respondents are directed to take immediate steps to complete the process which has already started but has not been taken to its logical end. The time schedule and the steps taken in this regard shall be placed on record of this Court in the present proceedings by filing an affidavit, notwithstanding the disposal of the proceedings,” the court said.