Maharashtra: No blood shortage at healthcare facilities says government

Nagpur: The Maharashtra government in response to a PIL application has categorically denied blood shortage in three of its eminent healthcare facilities. The three allegedly short of blood are the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (IGGMC) and Super Specialty Hospital (SSH).

GMCH Dean, Dr Abhimanyu Niswade, in an affidavit submitted before the Nagpur High Court bench stated in no uncertain terms that there was no shortage of blood at any of the three health facilities mentioned in the PIL and occasionally, if there was a shortage witnessed, it was in the case of rare blood groups.

Dr. Niswade also denied other allegations cast in an intervention application filed by counsel Shreerang Bhandarkar, about a non-functional laundry, absence of ventilators, central sterilization store department (CSSD),and modular operation theatres .

The intervention was filed in a PIL by CH Sharma and others and mentioned Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals (GMCHs) lacking facilities.

The hearing has been adjourned till next week by a division bench comprising Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Vinay Deshpande .

Bharti Dangre, a government pleader, earlier assured the court of the completion of four-storey building and other pending works at IGGMC as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) specifications.

She also informed the court of the official’s impending visit to the IGGMC during the coming assembly session. The visit she said was to assess the situation and assured the judicial authority that there would be no fund related problems when it came to modernizing the IGGMC Hub.