Allahabad High Court Directs SRN Hospital Authorities To File Affidavit Regarding Construction Of Separate Duty Rooms For Female Doctors

Recently, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Superintendent-in-Chief, Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, Prayagraj to file an affidavit regarding a plan for the construction of separate duty rooms for female doctors in departments where they are not available.

Hearing a suo-moto public interest litigation, the division bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Manish Kumar Nigam observed that one duty room existing between several wards is not enough to cater to the requirements of the doctor.

Taking note of the affidavits filed by the Principal Secretary, Medical Education Department, State of U.P. and Superintendent-in-Chief, Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, Prayagraj regarding the availability of duty rooms in the Hospital, the Court observed that

“there are in all thirty rest rooms for male and female duty doctors in different departments in the hospital. It is admitted that there are no duty rooms for female doctors in Pulmonary Department and E.N.T. Department. In department of Surgery, the rest room has been repaired and is now functional. Each rest room has attached washroom.”

Observing that the existing number of duty rooms may not be sufficient to cater to the doctors, the Court directed the Superintendent-in-Chief, Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, Prayagraj to file an additional affidavit regarding the plan for the construction of separate duty rooms for female doctors.

Further, the Court observed that the security at the hospital was being increased and measures were being taken to control the menace of stray dogs in the hospital.

Background

The bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Kshitij Shailendra had taken suo moto cognizance based on the newspaper report in Amar Ujala which highlighted the rodent menace in SRN Hospital, Prayagraj. The Court was informed that the work of controlling the rodent menace in the hospital had been outsourced to a housekeeping agency. Accordingly, the Court sought details regarding the same.

Thereafter, on several dates, affidavits were filed stating the steps being and taken and that the situation had improved. However, the issue of stray dogs in wards cropped up, on which the Court sought affidavits.

Regarding this, the Court observed that “the Inspection Report mentions that stray dogs were found in the main wide corridor of the old building of SRN Hospital. It also discloses that certain animal blockers have been put to check entry of stray dogs, however, same were found to be broken.”

Subsequently, the issue regarding inadequate security was also highlighted before the Court. It was pointed out that only 6-7 guards were present in the entire hospital and they are deputed in the Super Speciality Complex to ensure the safety of the Liquid Oxygen Plant. The Court observed that dogs were found in the corridors of the OPD block and other Blocks as well including outside the hospital where medical waste was dumped.

“The Inspection Report reveals a sorry state of affairs. The premises which is supposed to be premier health care facility of the city should be free of stray dogs as they are source of various kind of infections. However, it seems that no serious effort has been made by the hospital administration to check the entry of stray dogs in the hospital premises,” the Court observed.

The Court also took note of the fact that there was a lack of proper duty rooms and toilets for doctors and nurses who remained in the hospital.

Accordingly, the Medical Superintendent was directed to file an affidavit disclosing the number of duty rooms and toilets available in the hospital along with the photographs of the same.

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