SHILLONG, FEB 6: The Meghalaya High Court on Monday asked the state government to ensure the Shillong and Tura medical colleges are completed for functioning as soon as possible.
“It is hoped that the Medical College in Tura and the proposed Shillong Medical College are completed for functioning as expeditiously as possible,” the Division Bench said in its judgment while disposing of the suo motu proceedings on the deficiencies in the health services.
Counsel appearing for the State had informed that the Shillong Medical College will come up in a few years and land for such purpose is proposed to be earmarked in the New Shillong area.
One of the appearing parties suggests that the proposed Shillong Medical College be constructed on the other side of town and may even be close to Umiam since New Shillong already has the super speciality facility in NEIGRIHMS.
There is no doubt that the State government will consider the matter whether two super speciality healthcare units in close proximity may not be ideal since other areas in the State are completely bereft of basic healthcare facilities.
The State also submitted that the Tura Medical College is under construction and the contractor has been persuaded to expedite the work.
In course of the recent hearings, the Court said that the State has bandied figures indicating that infant mortality rate has reduced in the State as has the rate of death at the time of child birth.
It said that the State has claimed to have added to the number of primary healthcare centers, enhanced the facilities in government hospitals and recently introduced the only cancer treatment facility at a small unit in the Civil Hospital in Shillong.
There are only a few private hospitals and most of such hospitals are in Shillong or in Tura and a few around Jowai.
The court said in the rural areas, the immediate facility is the primary healthcare centre where serious patients may be referred to nearby government hospitals in the major towns.
Apart from the government’s healthcare structure and the fledgling private hospital network, Shillong boasts of a mini-AIIMS in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, which is a super speciality hospital, although it still lacks in cancer treatment facility.
Pursuant to the observation in one of the previous orders passed in November, 2022, the State has now entered into agreements with private cancer treatment facilities outside the State where patients can be referred to or who may assist in the treatment of cancer in government hospitals, depending on the stage of the ailment and the state of the patient.
Meanwhile, the court said that the present suo motu proceedings may have worked itself out since the areas of concern, including the supply of oxygen or the availability of oxygen in the State, have already been brought to the notice of the government of the day and it is for the executive now to take appropriate steps within the constraints that it functions in and subject to the availability of the resources.
“It must also be repeated, in the same breath, that basic healthcare facilities cannot be ignored with the ruse that adequate funds may not be available. All citizens are entitled to basic healthcare facilities and expect the same from the State, which the State is obliged to provide,” it asserted.
The court further maintained that in the event further major deficiencies come to light or the State government fails in its promised endeavour to augment healthcare facilities in Meghalaya, future proceedings may be initiated.
By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours