The matter, brought to the attention of the Chief Justice, has raised serious questions over the government’s efforts to provide top-tier medical infrastructure in public health facilities. Acting on the matter, the court has added the Chief Secretary, Health Secretary, Director of Health Services, Kasumpti, and the Chief Medical Officer of Deendayal Hospital in Shimla as respondents, reports Hindustan Times.
Issuing a notice for December 29, the bench directed the Health Secretary to submit an affidavit including details regarding how many government hospitals in the state are multi-storeyed and whether these institutions have operational lifts available for patients to use. The court’s intervention aims to assess the extent of the problem and ensure that necessary steps are taken to address patient inconvenience stemming from non-functional hospital elevators, reports The Daily.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj considered the case and stated, “The issue herein is regarding old persons and infirm patients not being allowed to use the lifts in government hospitals.” The HC bench considered the representation that it has received, and found that while one lift in the hospital is specially reserved for staff and doctors, the only lift kept for the general public is not even functional.
The representation clarified that the lift, which is used by the doctors and staff, is operational, but the lift reserved for public use is non-operational, creating a problem for elderly and physically weak patients, as they are compelled to climb multiple floors to access medical services.
The HC order appeared at a time when the Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has been advocating for regulating the state healthcare. Sukhu has been confirming the state government’s commitment to providing quality healthcare services on various platforms. He stated, “We are ensuring the availability of excellent healthcare facilities in all medical colleges of the state. Our effort is to provide modern and world-class healthcare facilities to the common man right in his own state, so that he does not have to go outside for treatment.”
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.