Sorry state of affairs at IGMC’s Trauma Centre, remarks HC

The HP High Court is unhappy over the deplorable state of affairs of the IGMC Trauma Centre in Shimla, and the manner in which the state government officials have repeatedly, not only attempted, but unfortunately, taken the court ‘for a ride’. This was observed by the court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the operationalisation of trauma centres in different hospitals of the state.

During the course of hearing, the data regarding the current vacancy status of the trauma centre was provided by the Principal Secretary (Health), wherein it was disclosed that as per norms for the Trauma Centre, manpower required is 237 and against this, 179 posts were sanctioned and only 44 were filled at present.

After perusing the same, a Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya, observed that “the aforesaid vacancies disclose a very sorry and sordid state of affairs prevailing in the IGMC Trauma Centre.”

However, the Principal Secretary (Health), Sudha Devi, who was present before the court, assured that as regards the posts of nursing and paramedical staff, these would be filled latest by January 31, 2025, while the remaining would be filled by March 31. The court listed the matter for further hearing on January 2, 2025, with a direction to the Principal Secretary (Health) to file status report by the said date.

It was brought to the notice of the court that the total strength of the ministerial staff has been reduced to 30 per cent, and that of the nursing staff to less than 50 per cent at the IGMC in Shimla.

On this, the court observed that “this is a wake-up call for the government as it is clearly explaining its ministerial staff as well as nursing staff. We hope and trust that by the next date of hearing, effective steps to fill these functional posts would be initiated and resorted to by the respondents.”