HC asks govt about vacancies of doctors in its hospitals

Which was the last year when the government recruited doctors for its hospitals here, the Delhi High Court asked today.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Centre to inform it since when the posts of doctors have been lying vacant.

The court raised the questions after it was dissatisfied with the Centre's report that there was massive increase in the number of doctors in its hospitals in the last five years.

It also sought to know the exact number of doctors in the government hospitals in the national capital.

The bench said it had initiated the issue on its own while dealing with the growing incidents of attacks on government doctors by patients or their relatives.
 

It asked them also to furnish data on the ratio between doctors and patients and between patients and other personnel in the hospitals operated by the central government.

The court asked the authorities to file a status report by August 22.

The observations came during the hearing of a plea initiated by the court on its own after perusing a news report on rise in violent attacks on doctors.

It also asked the Delhi Police to furnish a status report with regard to providing security in hospitals to meet such violent situations.

The court had on May 3 initiated the PIL based on the report that doctors in public hospitals were being subjected to extreme violence.

Stressing the need to provide security and better facilities to the doctors and patients, the bench had asked the authorities about the number of cases they have lodged in this regard and also the prosecution carried out.

On perusing the report which said that resident doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences have decided to take self-defence classes, the bench had observed "this needs to be taken care by the authorities and steps have to be taken in this regard".