When Chamiyana hospital will be functional: HC asks Health Secy
The HP High Court has directed the Principal Secretary (Health) to file a personal affidavit, clearly spelling out the road map for making the super-specialty hospital at Chamiyana fully operational.
A Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya, directed the Health Secretary to clarify in affidavit that how the department would deal with the issues of lack of parking space and lack of facilities for the attendants and caretakers, canteen facility. The court also inquired whether the canteen has been constructed over a sewerage treatment plant. Additionally, the court sought details on provisions for the pick-up and drop-off of hospital staff, particularly those in lower service levels.
The court sought a clarification on the hospital's laboratories, equipment, operating theatres and the number of doctors, technicians, and other paramedical staff working in these theatres. It also asked for information on the hospital's bio-medical waste disposal mechanism, including liquid and other waste. It also inquired whether the hospital had a blood bank and facilities for blood storage.
Additionally, the court inquired about the provisions for essential departments such as medicine and surgery, and how these would support the smooth functioning of the hospital from specialty to super-specialty care. The court also sought a clarification on how the health authorities planned to ensure coordination and integration of various departments within a super-specialty hospital so that patients receive comprehensive and cohesive care.
The court sought information regarding the current vacancies of nephrology and endocrinology positions at the IGMC and whether it would be prudent, advisable or even feasible to reassign faculty members from these departments to the Chamiyana hospital. Additionally, the court asked for a clarification on how patients undergoing dialysis and experience distress would be managed at the Chamiyana hospital. Further, it sought details on the availability of medicines and the existence of medical shops in the area.
The court passed the order after perusing the minutes of a meeting held on November 11, 2024, which indicate that the health authorities had proposed to start an OPD at AIMSS-Chamiyana with the existing infrastructure and the addition of ambulance services.
During the course of hearing, the Project Director of the NHAI has informed the court that the 100-metre road, which falls within the right of way of the NHAI, would be made operational within two months. Likewise, the Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, stated that the 200-metre road, which comes within their purview, would be linked with the 100-metre road and in every likelihood, the same would be made operational by January 31, 2025. The court listed the matter for further hearing on December 9.
