Over-Crowding Of Emergency Wards In Govt Hospitals Must Be Circumvented, Emergent Need To Augment Space And Medical Facilities: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court recently observed that over-crowding of emergency wards in government hospitals in the city has to be circumvented by all means for making available the best medical assistance to critical patients who need to be provided medical care on an urgent basis.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna took cognizance of the necessity to upgrade and enhance the overall infrastructure facilities in the government hospitals, in particular the emergency wards.

“When critical patients are brought to hospitals, the first few hours are considered as “golden hours” which can make the crucial difference between life and death,” the court said.

It added that there is an emergent need to augment the space and the medical facilities available in the emergency wards, including the number of doctors and the medical equipments available in order to cater to the needs of the patients requiring critical care.

“The emergency care system requires strengthening and enhancement with a view to provide quality healthcare to the needy in times of emergencies,” the court observed.

The bench made the observation while directing the Union Government to undertake an exercise for improvement of infrastructure of the hospitals being controlled and run by it in the national capital.

“Likewise, the GNCTD is also directed to take steps to improve the overall medical facilities in its hospitals, with particular emphasis upon upgradation of infrastructure in the emergency wards,” the court added.

The court directed the Union and Delhi Governments to file their affidavits in the matter within 12 weeks and listed the matter for hearing on March 13, 2024.

The court was hearing a suo motu PIL initiated in 2017 concerning the issue of safety and security of medical specialists in public hospitals, violence being faced by them and the lack of sufficient experts to provide healthcare in the hospitals.

The court had taken suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report published by the Times of India on May 03, 2017, titled “AIIMS doctors to get self-defence training.”

The bench had highlighted various issues like the dearth of adequate security measures afforded to doctors and the incongruent growth of medical experts within hospitals compared to the escalating patient influx, which caused delays and exacerbated the likelihood of violence.

Title: COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION V/s UNION OF INDIA & ORS

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Del) 1148

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