Morung Express News
Kohima | September 14
The Kohima High Court Kohima Bench has granted six weeks’ time to the Nagaland Government as well as the medical department to submit the up-to- date status of the medical institutions in the State.
This would enable the Court to pass necessary directions or orders in the case, stated the order issued by the Division Bench of Justices Kakheto Sema and Kardak Ete, resuming the hearing of the batch of Public Interest Litigation concerning the health sector in Nagaland on September 13.
Earlier during the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners submitted the list of District Hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and Subcentres and requested the Court to pass a short order directing the Department to file a short Status Report on each ofthe institutions listed.
Accordingly, the Court made the direction listing the matter for further hearing after six weeks.
It was learnt that 34 PILs dating as early as 2017 were filed covering 5 District Hospitals, 5 Community Health Centres, 14 Primary Health Centres and 10 Sub Centres across Nagaland.
In the pleas, the petitioners contended that these hospitals were functioning without basic amenities such as shortages of doctors, nurses, technicians and health attendants, equipment, and irregular supply of medicines.
Lack of power back up, water supply, staff quarters, pharmacy etc were also highlighted in the PILs, while seeking appropriate directions by the Court.
While the cases were being heard, the Court also started monitoring the status of Nagaland Institute of Medical Science & Research(NIMSR) since February 2021 in connection with these 34 PILs to address the issue of shortages of medical doctors in the State.
The latest status of the hospitals covered under the petitions was sought to see how far the shortfalls pointed out in the petitions have been addressed so far in order to enable the Court to pass appropriate directions.
