Srinagar, Nov 22: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Tuesday closed a public interest litigation (PIL) regarding deficiency in facilities for pregnant women and children while observing that the authorities will strengthen the existing facilities in the Maternity and Paediatrics Hospitals in Srinagar for both the children and women in the best advancement of medical system.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Vinod ChatterjiKoul closed the PIL after a status report was filed by Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department, Srinagar revealing that a separate paediatrics hospital having specialties in paediatrics department like paediatric surgery, paediatric cardiology, paediatric oncology, paediatric gastroenterology etc was established at Bemina near Hajj House, Srinagar.
It stated that two new maternity hospitals of 200 beds capacity were sanctioned by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, one each at Srinagar and Jammu to strengthen the maternity related services and facilities in J&K.
These sites were finalized at Bemina, Srinagar and Government Hospital GandhiNagar, Jammu, it says.
“The sites for both these projects viz. Maternity Hospital and Paediatrics Hospital were identified adjacently at Bemina, Srinagar,” the report stated.
It was revealed that while the progress of execution of Maternity Hospital Srinagar was advancing towards its completion, the Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar mooted a proposal to convert the complete complex of 200-Bedded Maternity Hospital and 300-bedded Paediatrics Hospital into a full- fledged 500-bedded paediatrics Hospital due to the reasons that maternity related services in the Lalla Ded (LD) Hospital, Srinagar have been substantially strengthened by way of construction of additional 200 bedded block and the same has been made functional also.
“Further, another 200 bedded block has also been approved under World Bank Funding for L.D Hospital Srinagar raising the existing bed strength from 500 beds to 900 beds,” it was submitted in the report.
The court after perusing the report noted that the detailed status report filed by the Financial Commissioner, H&ME Department in terms of order passed on December, 04, 2019 satisfies the requirements for care of both children and women so far as the medical facilities are concerned.
“Therefore, we are inclined to close this Public Interest Litigation with the observation that the authorities will strengthen the existing facilities in these Hospitals for both the children and women in the best advancement of the medical system,” the bench said.
The bench directed the Registry of the court to send a copy of the order to the Commissioner Secretary, H&ME department.
In 2019, a suo moto action was taken by the court after a representation moved by the President of Initiative for Peace and Development, Malik Sajid for preservation of space for child and female patients including pregnant women at Jhelum Valley College, Bemina.
It stated that the child and female patients were facing difficulties while approaching the hospital for treatment.
