HC allows urgent listing of plea seeking appointment of anaesthetists in Delhi hospital

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking the appointment of anaesthetists at Jag Parvesh Chander Hospital under the national capital territory government.

Lawyer and activist Amit Sahni filed the petition on Wednesday, for immediate recruitment of anaesthetists at the hospital to "ensure that the poor and financially underprivileged classes are not denied admission or treatment in the hospitals."

The Registry of Delhi High Court allowed the petition for urgent listing on September 2, before the bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh.

"As emerged in the public domain through media reports that emergency ward of the said hospital is not available from 4 pm to 8 am due to the shortage of anaesthetists in the hospital," the petition stated.

"Due to absence of anaesthetists/specialists/doctors, the pregnant women particularly from weaker section of society, are denied admission in the hospital for delivery of their baby. Further, those who need an emergency C-section are also sent back to other hospitals. Pregnant women in extreme labour pain and their relatives are suffering enormously due to the denial of the hospital to provide any kind of medical help after 4 pm in the evening till 8 am in the morning," advocate Sahni submitted in the petition.

The plea noted that the shortage of anaesthetists is not only causing problems to pregnant women who needs a C-section but also to other patients as well who need to get an operation that requires anaesthesia.

"Relatives of patients are calling the Police every day when their kins are refused medical help during an emergency situation. Such patients are asked to shift their frail kins to other hospitals. This very situation is causing huge inconvenience, harassment and helplessness amongst the patients, their relatives and the hospital staff," the plea said.

As per the PIL, the hospital is established and managed by the Delhi government and is a multi-speciality hospital with 200 beds offering free treatment to the people of North East Delhi.

"State is duty-bound to ensure that the poor and financially underprivileged classes are not denied admission in its territory," the petition further added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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