Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 15
The Guwahati High Court Kohima Bench, on June 15, has given the Principal Secretary (PS), Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) 15 days to submit an “affidavit explaining as to why no medical personnel are posted at some of the medical centers” or face appropriate orders.
Resuming a Public Interest Litigation (Suo Moto) hearing on Wednesday, the Bench comprising of Justice LS Jamir and Justice Robin Phukan observed that no affidavit has been filed by the PS H&FW as directed by the Court on April 20.
However, it noted that the Causelist or list of cases awaiting hearing indicated that the counsel appearing for the Medical Department has filed “Letter of Absence” up to June 17, 2022.
Accordingly, listing the matter for hearing again on July 1, the Court issued an order cautioning that if ‘no affidavit is filed by the next returnable date, appropriate orders will be passed against the Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare.”
It must be noted here that the Kohima Bench on April 20 had directed the PS H&FW to explain why medical personnel including doctors are “attached elsewhere than their place of posting” in the affidavit.
The Bench then stated that existence of Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Public Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub-centres (SCs) do not serve any purpose without any or adequate number of medical personnel and issued the direction.
The Bench further called instances of attachment of medical personnel “somewhere else than the place where they are posted” as “very glaring” and directed the PS to “mention as to when the attached medical personnel will be reverted back to their original place of posting,” in the affidavit to be filed before May 18.
When the matter came up for hearing on May 18 with another Bench, the matter was adjourned as one of the Judge that day recused himself.
Accordingly, the matter was heard on again Wednesday, during which the Court reiterated its previous direction and gave 15 days to the PS.
