Flagging ‘parallel medical industry’, Allahabad High Court orders high-level probe into govt doctors’ private practice

Ordering a probe into the matter, the court said, “Let the matter be placed before the Chief Secretary, Government of UP, Lucknow, who shall take appropriate action against all these defaulting persons and set up a high level enquiry against all the doctors who are indulging in private practice in the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College”.

‘Medical fraternity failing object of government’

• Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), the Allahabad High Court observed that despite funding and infrastructure support from the state, the condition of the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital attached to the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College has deteriorated.
• Noting that the functioning of the Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Limited is pathetic, the court said it was unable to understand why for the last 20 years, the construction of two floors of the Cardiology Department of the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, attached to the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, could not be undertaken by the body.
• The issue came into focus after the court was informed about a First Information Report (FIR) lodged recently against an associate professor of the medical college and his wife. According to the information placed before the bench, the doctor is allegedly running a private nursing home.
• The condition of the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College and the attached Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital has deteriorated not due to a shortage of funds or amenities by the government, but “it is the medical fraternity who is failing the object of the Government,” the Allahabad High Court remarked.

• The court noted that pursuant to its earlier order, an inquiry had been instituted and the district magistrate, Prayagraj, was directed to examine allegations of private practice by doctors serving as professors, associate professors and lecturers at the medical college.
• However, it observed that no report has been submitted so far.
• The court further remarked that the present case reflects the deteriorating state of Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, as doctors appear disinclined to retain patients within the government facility and instead prefer to have them treated in their private establishments.
• Stating that the matter is “becoming murkier day by day, the Allahabad High Court said the present case reveals the poor condition of the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital.

Directions

• Taking note of the gravity of the situation, the bench directed the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh to intervene and initiate a high-level inquiry into the matter.
• The Allahabad High Court has also directed the chief secretary to monitor the progress of the various construction activities that have been going on for the last 20 years in the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, which till date has not been completed despite the funds having been released by the government.
• The Allahabad High Court posted the matter for further hearing on May 26.

Earlier proceedings

In the earlier proceedings, the high court was on April 20 apprised of the dilapidated condition of boys’ and girls’ hostels at Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, highlighting a lack of maintenance by the medical administration.

It noted that photographs placed on record depicted undergraduate and postgraduate medical students living in uninhabitable conditions.

It observed that the effective functioning of a hospital is contingent upon providing adequate residential facilities to doctors, and the present state of the hostels was unacceptable.

Taking note of the situation, the Allahabad High Court had directed the principal to file a detailed reply, specifically addressing the condition of both undergraduate and postgraduate hostels, and to also disclose, by way of affidavit, the status of the cardiology department.