Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 29
The Department of Health and Family Welfare (DHFW), Nagaland has informed the Guwahati High Court, Kohima Bench that the Government has already issued a notice asking for ‘submission of names of officers, apart from the Doctors, who have not joined their duties after the Attachment Order issued by the Department.’
“Other medical professionals like technicians, nurses etc shall also be included in the aforesaid Attachment Order,” the Counsel for the Department submitted as per the Court’s order issued on August 29.
The Counsel further submitted that reports are being awaited regarding the notice.
Accordingly, the Division Bench comprising of Justice Marli Vankung and Justice PJ Saikia, currently hearing a Public Interest Litigation (suo motu) on health related issues and COVID-19, on Monday, listed the matter listed again after two weeks with a direction to the Department and other respondents to file the necessary affidavit to that effect.
Among others, the Government of Nagaland represented by Chief Secretary, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Chief Medical Officers of all districts are respondents in the Public Interest Litigation.
It must be noted here that on April 20, another High Court Bench comprising of Justice Songkhupchung Serto and Justice Nelson Sailo, had directed the Principal Secretary, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare to submit an “affidavit explaining as to why no medical personnel are posted at some of the medical centres.”
It further directed the Principal Secretary to explain why medical personnel including doctors are attached elsewhere than their place of posting in the affidavit.
The bench then observed that “some of the medical personnel are also attached somewhere else than the place where they are posted, leaving their place of posting without any replacement.”
Besides, it termed the attachment of 10 doctors at the Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima from elsewhere as “very glaring” and directed the Principal Secretary to file the affidavit stating that the existence of health centres do not serve any purpose without any or adequate number of medical personnel.
While no affidavit has been filed by the Principal Secretary as directed by the Court, the bench on June 15 said that if no affidavit is filed by the Principal Secretary by the next returnable date, appropriate orderswill be passed.
Thereafter, the matter was again listed on August 29, as per the Court’s record.
