Lack of Postmortem Facilities: Calcutta HC directs Centre to bring AIIMS Kalyani at par with Delhi AIIMS
Kolkata: When heard about the lack of a postmortem facility at a premier institute like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Kalyani, the Calcutta High Court conveyed its astonishment and directed the Centre to enhance the infrastructure of AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal to match that of AIIMS in Delhi by December 2025.
During the hearing session, a bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh observed, "This is surprising that till date there is no infrastructure for conducting post-mortem examination at AIIMS, Kalyani and the infrastructure of a tertiary referral hospital like J.N.M. Hospital, Kalyani had to be used for post mortem examination by the doctors of AIIMS, Kalyani."
The court was hearing a matter concerning the rape and murder of a schoolgirl in West Bengal's Jayanagar. The high court was told that AIIMS Kalyani lacked the infrastructure to carry out a post-mortem, following which the examination had to be conducted in another nearby hospital.
"The word “All India Institute of Medical Sciences” refers to a premier brand health organisation, where a common man can have the services of the best of the doctors available in the Country. The institute is not restricted only to academic purposes but also to rendering services to patients who are suffering from acute diseases. If an AIIMS is situated within a State the common man at large should be benefited by the services of the best of the doctors who are ready, but they are not having a support system to execute their ability," stated the court as quoted by ABP Live news report.
Further, it added, "The institution has been offering courses to best of the students across the Country at the Graduation and Post-graduation level in the field of medical sciences. So far as the services to the citizen at large are concerned, the confidence must be reposed that every infrastructure and facility is made available within the boundary and premises of AIIMS, Kalyani."
The court termed the information as disheartening and surprising. Later, it directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, to evaluate the deficiencies in infrastructure at AIIMS, Kalyani, ensuring that the facilities are developed to match those of AIIMS, Delhi, or AIIMS, Rishikesh.
"Steps be taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to complete the infrastructure preferably by 31st December 2025. In case any permission, license is to be granted by the State Government no deterrence or hindrance be created in granting of such license to the authorities of AIIMS, Kalyani. The State would cooperate for facilitating the services of AIIMS, Kalyani to the common people at large."
