Introduction:

The Bombay High Court, in a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL), addressed the alarming deaths, including those of infants, at various government hospitals in the Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar districts, and raised significant concerns regarding the recruitment of medical staff and the timely utilization of the healthcare budget. The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, hearing the matter on February 5, emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues to improve the healthcare situation in the State. The Court had initially taken cognizance of several newspaper reports that highlighted a surge in deaths attributed to a lack of adequate medical infrastructure and staff. It noted that the State had utilized only 66% of the allocated budget for creating medical infrastructure, thereby failing to fully utilize the resources meant for the welfare of its citizens. The Court expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed disbursement of the health budget and questioned why the State was waiting until March to release funds, given that a supplementary budget was available from July.

Judgement:

Justice Dangre remarked that patients in need of immediate medical treatment should not have to wait for the budget to be disbursed and that it would be more effective if the budget were disbursed in instalments to avoid the funds lapsing. The Court further expressed concern over the ongoing vacancies in government medical colleges and hospitals, particularly highlighting that the Chandrapur government medical college and hospital had an alarming 80.8% vacancy rate. With such a significant shortage of medical staff, the Court questioned how the hospitals could adequately cater to the increasing number of patients. Justice Dangre urged the State to address this critical issue by coming up with concrete plans to expedite the recruitment process of doctors and other medical personnel. The Court directed the State to file a compliance report by February 20, 2025, outlining the steps taken to fill the vacancies and the timeline for recruitment. Additionally, the Court asked the State to provide a detailed plan for spending the healthcare budget in instalments and to indicate whether it would be possible to amend the allocation by March 31, 2025. In its remarks, the Court made it clear that the delay in recruitment and spending would not be tolerated, as the health and well-being of the citizens were at stake. The State was urged to act with urgency and responsibility to ensure that the hospitals were equipped with the necessary staff and resources to handle the healthcare needs of the population, particularly in light of the growing number of deaths. The Court’s directions aimed to address these systemic issues and create a framework that would ensure that medical services were not compromised due to financial or staffing shortages. The compliance affidavit that the Court sought from the State was expected to outline clear steps for timely recruitment and the effective use of the allocated healthcare budget. It is hoped that with the Court’s intervention, the necessary improvements will be made in government hospitals, providing better medical care to the citizens of Maharashtra.