Safdarjung Hospital MS summoned, GTB Hospital asked to file report

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today summoned the Medical Superintendent of the Central government-owned Safdarjung Hospital for failing to provide proper treatment to the patients in the Paediatrics and Gynaecology departments.

A division bench of Justice M K Sharma and Justice Hima Kohli asked the Medical Superintendent to be present in the court on August 2, the next date of hearing to reply to the allegations.

A committee appointed by the Court submitted its report saying that both the departments were in deplorable condition.

Despite repeated directions, the authorities were not initiating action to improve the conditions in the departments, said the report.

In another order, the Bench asked the Medical Superintendent of Delhi Government-owned Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital to file a status report on the allegations of deplorable conditions of various departments in the hospital.

The Court asked the MS of the GTB Hospital to file the report by July 13, the next date of hearing.

Various departments of the government had failed in disposing of their responsibilities in running the 1500-bedded Safdarjung hospital where more than 6000 patients go for treatment everyday, said the committee's report.

The 47-acre sprawling campus was not being hygienically maintained by the CPWD, alleged the PIL. There were no sufficient doctors, nurses and para-medical staff to attend to the patients in the central government hospital.

In another PIL, Advocate Varun Goswami alleged that ''There was gross mis-management and negligence on the part of the GTB hospital administration in maintaining, upgrading and running the institute.'' ''On account of the un-cooperative and lethargic attitude of the hospital administration, doctors of the hospital have expressed their helplessness in providing better medical treatment and facilities to the patients,'' added the petition.

Quoting newspaper reports, the petitioner alleged that ''at least 500 infants succumbed to death due to faulty ventilators in the nursery of the GTB hospital.'' UNI PAT PK ND1922