Chhattisgarh HC takes suo moto cognizance of closure of Thyroid testing at Bilaspur District Hospital

Raipur: Taking cognizance of the closure of thyroid testing services at the District Hospital in Bilaspur, the Chhattisgarh High Court recently directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department of Chhattisgarh to submit a personal affidavit detailing the existing facilities at the hospital.  

The Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rajani Dubey, has taken suo moto cognizance of the issue through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). 

This issue was taken to court after the crucial thyroid testing service at the hospital remained unutilised for the past three months. The suspension of the facility due to a shortage of reagents has adversely affected patients, particularly pregnant women and those relying on the hospital's Outpatient Department (OPD) and inpatient services. 

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Despite several appeals being made to the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation regarding the issue the hospital management received no improvement in their action. The corporation failed to take action to address the reagent shortage. 

This has compelled patients to seek testing services from private labs, resulting in financial burdens. The lack of a pathologist at the Hamar Lab within Bilha Matru Shishu Hospital has further compounded the problem, forcing patients to turn to private labs for various tests.

The matter of the renewal of reagents for the hormonal testing machine at the District Hospital was neglected until the court intervened and made the Chief Secretary, Director (health services), CMHO Bilaspur, Divisional Commissioner and District Collector respondents in the matter.

As per the TOI news report, the critical circumstances have resulted in an astonishing influx of patients, averaging between 60 to 70 individuals per day, who are seeking medical aid at the maternal and child hospital located within the District Hospital premises. Within the last three months, a total of 4263 patients have opted for private laboratories to undergo essential diagnostic tests.

Taking note of the matter, the court directed the government to provide a personal affidavit detailing the existing facilities at the hospital and scheduled the next hearing on April 22. 

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