Srinagar, July 4:  The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday asked the petitioners who have filed Public Interest litigations regarding deaths and healthcare problems at G B Pant Hospital to file response to the affidavits filed by the government and various hospitals within two weeks.
 A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar, and Justice Hasnain Massodi after hearing the arguments of counsels of the petitioners and senior Additional Advocate General A M Magray representing the state asked for filing the response to the affidavits within two weeks.
 The Medical Education secretary,  incharge Principal Government Medical College Srinagar, Medical Superintendent GB Pant hospital, director health services Kashmir and Director SKIMS filed the affidavits.
 Medical Superintendent GB Pant hospital Dr Muneer Ahmad Massodi submitted that the diagnostic services like clinical laboratory, Microbiology section and blood bank shall be upgraded to the tertiary care centre for which there would be minimum requirement of Rs one crore.
 He stated that the manpower in all categories need to be enhanced by 30% at least and 50 percent if possible.
 As per the affidavit, Rs 50 lakh required in addition to the existing budgetary provisions per year in general wards for medicines, fluids, disposables and other requirements in Surgical Intensive care unit of the GB pant hospital.
 “The officially sanctioned bed strength in the hospital is 135, which is less than the required one,” the superintendent states in the Affidavit.
 The High Court had on June 1 directed the state government to take immediate remedial measures to mend the affairs at GB Pant hospital till the sanctioned staff is appointed there for which the court gave two months time.
 The court had earlier passed directions in a PIL filed by Dr Rouf Mohi-ud-Din Malik and Tanveer Khan seeking directions for an inquiry into the recent infant deaths and other issues relating to healthcare in GB Pant hospital.
 In the report, the government had admitted that two posts of Associate Professors, one position of Assistant Professor, four positions each of Registrars and Lecturers were lying vacant in the hospital.
 Besides, a post each of Pediatric Ophthalmologist, Hematologist, Nephrologist, Radiologist, Laboratory Technicians and Microbiologist were also vacant. Another two posts of Laboratory Assistants were also not filled by the government in the institute.
 The hospital was also deficient in two positions of Nursing Supervisors, seven senior grade nurses, 17 junior grade nurses and five ANMs.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST