Make sure medical colleges have CT, MRI machines by Feb end: Patna HC to govt

Patna: The Patna High Court on Monday issued a directive to the Health department to ensure that installation of CT scan and MRI machines in all government medical colleges and hospitals is over by the end of February.

The directive came in response to a public interest litigation filed by Nagrik Adhikar Manch, an NGO. Acting Chief Justice, Hemant Gupta and Justice Sudhir Singh observed that the Health Department should honour its commitment and get the machines installed by February- end.

The PIL was initially filed in 2015 seeking an investigation by a specialized agency against the Nalanda Medical College, Superintendent for discrepancies in the purchase of a CT Scan machine.

The petitioners had alleged connivance of the Superintendent and the Health Ministry officials in purchase of an inferior quality machines. They said that the machine manufactured in 2008 by a firm, had often developed operational defects after its installation in the college hospital, and the authorities had still gone ahead to purchase another medical equipment from the same firm.

The court later issued a time frame for machine installations not only at Nalanda Medical college, but all government and medical colleges of the state. The Health Department's Principal Secretary, in response to the court order gave an assurance that the installation work would be completed by March 2016. The Health Department then asked for two extensions; the first for a period of six months and the second for a period of three months.

During the Monday hearing, the High Court recalled its earlier order, and asked the Health Department for work progress details. The Health Department, in response filed a counter affidavit stating that the Nalanda Medical college machines installation would be completed by February 15 and the other government medical college and hospitals would have the equipment installed by the end of February, reports TOI.

Scheduling February 27 to be the next hearing date, the court stated that the Health Department ensure that the machine installations happen within the stipulated time frame.