HC Nagpur bench flags vacant Class IV posts in Vidarbha government hospitals, seeks affidavit in a week
The Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench has expressed serious concern over large vacancies of Class IV staff and nurses and told the state to file an affidavit within a week.
Images are not validated/verified
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has expressed serious concern over the large number of vacant Class IV posts in government medical hospitals in Vidarbha. The court has also sought a response from the state government on vacant nursing posts.
Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Rajnish Vyas observed that in some hospitals in Vidarbha, more than 50 per cent of Class IV posts are lying vacant, while the number of patients is rising manifold every year.
During the hearing, Dr Raj Gajbhiye, joint director in the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, filed an affidavit. The report gives full details of the present position of Class IV staff, patient numbers and the availability of stretchers and wheelchairs. The figures in the report make it clear that hundreds of vacancies in hospitals that bear the load of lakhs of patients every day are affecting routine health services.
The position of Class IV posts was given as follows. At the Government Medical College and Hospital (Medical), Nagpur, 634 of 828 sanctioned posts are filled and 194 are vacant. At the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College (Mayo), Nagpur, there are 321 sanctioned posts, of which 270 are filled and 51 are vacant.
At the Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal, 181 are working against 379 sanctioned posts and 198 posts are vacant. At the Government Medical College and Hospital, Akola, there are 242 sanctioned posts, 120 are filled and 122 are vacant.
At the Super Speciality Hospital, Nagpur, 55 of 67 sanctioned posts are filled and 12 are vacant. At the Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur, there are 58 sanctioned posts, 44 are filled and 14 are vacant. At the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital and Research Centre, Nagpur, only 2 of 11 sanctioned posts are filled and 9 are vacant. At the health unit in Saoner, there are 20 sanctioned posts, 12 are filled and 8 are vacant.
In the case, amicus curiae Isha Thakre drew the court's attention to the shortage of nurses in government medical hospitals. She said that 116 of the 1,207 sanctioned nursing posts are vacant.
The High Court has directed the state government to submit an affidavit within one week on filling these vacant posts.
