Plea against no surgeries in G B Pant Hospital opposed by APP

The APP government today opposed in the Delhi High Court a PIL alleging that operations were not being carried out at G B Pant Hospital for nearly a month due to some "disputes" between doctors.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath was informed by Delhi government's counsel that since April 2016 around 121 operations were carried out in the hospital.
"This petition is not in public interest and it should be dismissed," Delhi government's Additional Standing Counsel Gautam Narayan said.
Supporting the contention of the government, Delhi Medical Council (DMC) also said that no medical services have been disrupted due to the above reason and also no misconduct on the part of the doctors was found.

They were replying to the court's notice issued on May 4, directing them to file their replies on a PIL for directions to the authorities to ensure essential services and medical treatment are not disrupted.
The court, however, asked the government to file affidavit with regard to their contention made orally before it. Beside it, the court also asked the Health Ministry to file its reply by May 26.

The petitioner, D N Srivastava, in his plea has contended that "operations were not taking place in Respondent 4 (G B Pant) hospital due to certain disputes between doctors which has led to risk to the life of patients who are suffering from heart diseases and other problems and are being denied medical treatment".

The petition alleges that "certain dispute arose between
the CTVS Department and the Anaesthesia Department which has led to a situation where the consultants of Anaesthesia Department have refused to give anaesthesia to patients in the hospital."
It has also claimed that "inaction" on the part of the authorities "has led to violation of right to life and health of the patients and increased medical expense" being incurred by patients who are poor.
Srivastava, in his plea, has also sought directions to the doctors of the hospital "to perform their duty during the pendency of the writ petition" as well as initiation of "appropriate disciplinary action against the doctors who have refused to perform their duty".

The petition has also sought passing of "appropriate orders/directions/guidelines in the nature of code of conduct for hospital staffs like doctors, nurses, paramedicals etc. Of the hospital for addressing their grievance without causing any disruption or prejudice to the smooth functioning of the hospital".