Prayagraj (UP), May 6 The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to set up a high-level inquiry against all doctors of Prayagraj's Moti Lal Nehru Medical College who are indulging in private practice.
A bench of Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal passed the order on Monday, while making an observation that the condition of Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital, an attached hospital of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, has deteriorated not due to lack of funds and amenities but due to private practice of its doctors.
The court said the chief secretary shall take appropriate action against all defaulting persons.
Hearing a PIL, Justice Agarwal observed, "It appears that the condition of the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College and the attached hospital Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital has deteriorated not because there is a shortage of funds or the amenities by the government but it is the medical fraternity who is failing the object of the government."
"The professors, associate professors and lecturers are practising in private nursing homes and are running a parallel medical industry in the city of Prayagraj. These doctors are performing surgery and keeping the patients in private set up, who are transferred from the Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital," the court said.
The bench directed that by the next date of hearing on May 26, the chief secretary shall also intimate the court about the action taken by him by setting up the high-level inquiry.
The court also directed the chief secretary to monitor the progress of the various construction activities which are going on for the last 20 years in the SRN Hospital, which till date has not completed despite the funds having been released by the state government.
The bench further directed the state counsel to apprise the court about the progress of the cabinet meeting regarding the transfer of land in favour of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College.
Pursuant to an earlier, principal of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College Vinod Kumar Pandey appeared before the court and filed an affidavit. Besides, an affidavit on behalf of the special secretary of medical education was also filed, which the court took on record.
The state counsel informed the court that no objection has been obtained from all the departments concerned for the transfer of land measuring 31,314 sq m in favour of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College and the matter would be placed soon before the council of ministers for their approval.
He further informed the court that once the approval is obtained by the cabinet, the land would be transferred to Moti Lal Nehru Medical College.
The court also pulled up the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam for not constructing two floors of cardiology department of Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital, the work for which was started in 2006.
The court was told that an FIR was lodged on April 29 against Dr Santosh Kumar Singh, associate professor in the surgery department of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College and his wife Elakshi Shukla.
Elakshi Shukla is the director of Acura Hospital, where her husband goes and performs surgery.
Expressing serious concern over this FIR, the court said, "The proceedings of the present PIL was started on an allegation that one Dr. Arvind Gupta had treated his patient at private nursing home known as Phoenix Hospital though being a Professor in the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College and private practice was banned."
"The FIR placed before the Court reveals that Dr. Santosh Kumar Singh, who is an associate professor in the Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, is running a private nursing home in which his wife is director in the name of Acura Hospital. This is a matter of serious concern".
