Orissa High Court Lauds Prompt Efforts Taken By District Administration For Providing Facilities To Leprosy Patients In State

The Orissa High Court has appreciated the prompt efforts taken by the district administration, Balasore for providing facilities to the inmates living in Leprosy home and requiring urgent medical attention.

Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice B.P. Routray was dealing with a PIL seeking directions to the State authorities for effective implementation of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) and also to appoint a high level committee to submit a report, thereby enabling the Court to issue directions on composite post management treatment and eradication of leprosy form the State.

"The Court records its satisfaction about the promptness with which corrective steps taken by the C.D.M. & P.H.O., Balasore and the Collector, Balasore. The Court expresses the hope that in the same spirit and promptitude all further steps should be taken as ordered by this Court and as undertaken in the joint report," the Court said.

The development came after a report was submitted to the Bench by the amicus curiae appointed in the matter seeking urgent directions as regards the conditions and medical facilities available to the inmates living at the Leprosy Home, Balasore. 

Pursuant to this, a joint report was filed by the District Collector on August 15 highlighting the steps taken on the concerns raised.

According to the said report, toilets have been repaired including sewerage pipe lines and residential areas. It was also stated that six toilets will be functional by 16th August, 2021 and four new toilets will be completed by the end of this month. 

Additionally, the report also stated that all old beds have been replaced with new ones in the Leprosy Home and that steps have been taken regarding distribution of footwear to the inmates in conformity with the last order. 

Moreover, the Court was apprised that Joint Director, Leprosy, Odisha and the World Health Organization Consultant visited the Leprosy Colony on 12th August, 2021 and held a training or awareness meeting with the Leprosy Workers, Paramedical Workers, local administration and staff.

"It is a matter of satisfaction that the visit of three Amicus Curiae has triggered the positive changes. The AC states that they will visit the Leprosy Colony once again prior to the next date," the Court said while posting the matter for further hearing on September 2.

Earlier, the Court had appointed a three members committee comprising of Senior Advocate Gautam Mishra, Advocates B.P. Tripathy and Pami Rath tasked with the responsibility to visit the leprosy colonies and Leprosy Home and to interact with the inmates and ascertain the issues faced by them.

The Committee was also tasked to ascertain whether the interventions by way of NLEP and the State programmes have had a positive effect on them.

The Court also directed the Committee members to interact with the trained leprosy workers or paramedical workers who are catering to the needs of the inmates in the said colonies and also with the families of such patients to understand their immediate and long term needs.

Case Title: Sri Bipin Bihari Pradhan v. State of Odisha and others

Click Here To Read Order