HC deplores conditions in govt. hospitals

By Our Correspondent

BANGALORE, JUNE 20. A Division Bench (Criminal) of the Karnataka High Court, comprising

Mr. Justice M.F.Saldanha and Mr. Justice K.R.Prasada Rao, has made some strong observations with regard to the conditions in government hospitals in the State.

The court was dealing with a case in which the accused, Boba, had assaulted his father, Babu, with a knife causing injuries on his head and arm. Babu was taken to a government hospital where he died after receiving treatment for 32 days.

Boba was charged with murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed to the High Court against the verdict of the trial court. The judges observed that Boba had only caused minor injuries to his father, but the trial court had overlooked the fact that such offences could only come under Section 325 of IPC. On a minute scrutiny of medical evidence, the court found that Babu died due to complications which he had developed during the course of treatment in the hospital. Accordingly, the court reduced the sentence to five years

The court observed that in many cases lives could not be saved because of poor quality treatment, delays and negligence on part of the staff in government hospitals. Further, corruption in these institutions had reached such a level that no treatment was given without paying money to the staff.

Unfortunately, being a medico-legal case, the victim was admitted to the government hospital. But Babu lost his life because of the pathetic condition there. Steps had to be taken to set right the problems faced by the poor patients in government hospitals, the court said.

The court hoped that the Minister for Health would take note of its observations and initiate appropriate action.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : TN Govt. has given new impetus to STFs: Kharge
Next     : Shyama Prasad Mukherjee remembered