HC orders Jharkhand Health Dept to submit affidavit on burn wards

Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday directed the director-in-chief of health services to file a detailed affidavit on the status of burn wards in government hospitals across the state.

The order was issued during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Onkar Vishwakarma regarding the establishment of burn wards in all district hospitals. A division bench of Chief Justice MS Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar directed the director-in-chief of health services to submit a comprehensive affidavit detailing the functioning and staffing of burn wards in the state.

The state government told the court that burn wards have been set up in all government hospitals and medical colleges, with the necessary infrastructure and medical personnel in place. The government counsel added that these units are being monitored regularly, news agency PTI reported.

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However, amicus curiae advocate Diksha Dwivedi said some hospitals still face a shortage of specialists and pointed out that a previous government chart showed only four districts with burn units having adequate equipment and staff.

The government has not filed an affidavit confirming the establishment of burn units in all government hospitals, she submitted, reports PTI.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Jharkhand Government will soon recruit 1,200 doctors to strengthen healthcare services across the state, Health Minister Irfan Ansari said on Tuesday. He said the appointments would be made through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) to address the shortage of medical professionals in government hospitals.

“We will soon recruit over 1,200 doctors through JPSC to improve healthcare facilities in hospitals,” he said while handing appointment letters to 76 newly-recruited contractual doctors at a programme in Ranchi.

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