The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that the medical services at a government-run primary health center in Barela, Jabalpur, located on National Highway-30, are in very bad condition.  As mentioned in the news report, the doctors do not come to the hospital during the night. Though, there are four doctors posted at the health centre but none of them attends the duty in the night shift. The patients, especially those injured in accidents are reportedly referred to the District Hospital for even first aid and basic health care. In some cases, the patients have lost their lives due to non-availability of the doctors at the Health Centre.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights of the victim. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, calling for a detailed report within two weeks.

According to the media report that the absence of a doctor at night, makes it impossible to perform medico-legal examinations (MLCs) for accident victims. The police officials who bring the patients to the centre for an MLC, are forced to take them to the District Hospital, causing unnecessary inconvenience and delay in providing lifesaving treatment to the patients. 

 

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NSK

(Release ID: 2168134)