Annual Report 2008-2009
4.127 After considering all the reports of the Government of West Bengal on 2 March 2009, the
Commission observed and directed as under:“In the light of the reports, the Commission finds it a fit case for award of compensation. The
Commission therefore awards Rs. 1, 00,000 as monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased.
The proof of payment be submitted to the Commission within six weeks”.
4.128 Despite repeated reminders, the proof of payment is awaited from the Government of
West Bengal.
29.
Suo Motu Cognizance Concerning Deplorable Hygienic Conditions of Hospitals in NCT of Delhi
(Case No. 2539/30/2004-2005)
4.129 The NHRC took suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report highlighting the deplorable
hygienic conditions of two hospitals in National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, namely, Sanjay
Gandhi Memorial Hospital (SGMH) and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital. It
directed to send copies of these reports to the Secretary, Health, Government of NCT of Delhi
and also to the Medical Superintendents of SGMH and LNJP Hospital, for obtaining their
comments.
4.130 The replies received from the Medical Superintendents of both the hospitals were found
to be imprecise by the NHRC. Thus, vide its proceedings dated 4 May 2005, the Commission
directed the Secretary, Health, Government of NCT of Delhi to submit a detailed report,
enumerating the steps taken to improve the hygienic conditions in the two hospitals.
4.131 In response, a report dated 27 June 2005 was submitted by the Additional Secretary,
Health and Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi. However, the said report was found
to be a mere repetition of what had been mentioned earlier by the Medical Superintendents of
the two hospitals. The Commission thus ordered that a team be deputed from the Investigation
Division of NHRC to oversee the prevailing conditions in the two hospitals and assess whether
there was any improvement in the hygiene conditions or not. It further ordered that the visiting
team should include a doctor, to be nominated by the convener of the Core Group on Health
constituted by the NHRC.
4.132 In pursuance of these directions, a team from the Investigation Division of NHRC visited
the two hospitals and thereafter submitted its report. It stated in its report that some
improvements with regard to hygiene were definitely noticed by the team, but the overall
condition by and large, was found to be unsatisfactory. In LNJP Hospital, the team found the
garbage scattered near the dumping side. It noticed that the waste material had been lying
there for a long time. Lack of co-ordination between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)
and the hospital authorities was also noticed. The team recommended that the dumping site
should be shifted immediately to some other place. In Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, the
drains were found open at some places and an over-powering foul smell existed.
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