PIL filed against condition of healthcare facilities in the State

INADEQUATE STAFF, MEDICINE AND VIOLATION OF NRHM GUIDELINES AMONGST ALLEGATIONS

GANGTOK, 24 Aug: Healthcare and health services in the state have always been contentious issues plagued with complaints about unavailability of basic drugs or even medical personnel. However the ground situation in the rural and remote areas of Sikkim has not always been accurately or adequately reported in the press.
Now, Healthcare in Sikkim is all set to receive its share of attention and effort with a Public Interest Litigation filed in the High Court today by a resident of Chungthang, Rinzing Chewang and taken up by counsel Dr. Doma Bhutia of the Human Rights Law Network, Sikkim.
The petition came up for hearing today in which some serious allegations over inadequate and deplorable conditions of health centres have been made. Unavailability of basic life-saving drugs, inadequate conditions of the health centres, inadequacy and frequent unavailability of health staff at the centres, violation of NRHM guidelines and other schemes and norms including the tendency of doctors to prescribe branded drugs over generic drugs apart from others have been made.
The Division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice P Kohli and Justice SP Wangdi have issued a notice and also issued a direction that life saving drugs, which are not available at the health centers at present, be made available soon. Among the respondents are the state government and the Union Health Ministry.
The petition alleges serious deficiencies in the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and its umbrella schemes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and the Reproductive Child Health scheme. Among the deviations in the implementation of NRHM, as alleged is the non compliance to the provision of a health centre required to be operational 24 hours a day and also the availability of 24 hour-a-day emergency services.
It is also informed that as per the account of the general public, at most times medical staff are not available in the health centres in the rural areas, which goes against the basic stipulations of the guidelines. In addition to this it is alleged that life saving and essential drugs especially blood and oxygen are not often available.
As a case in example, the plight of a woman of Lachen has been highlighted whose child reportedly died in her womb due to lack of oxygen at the health centre. The PIL in fact highlights that the plight of rural women, especially expecting mothers, in terms of access to health care is particularly sad.
The petition also highlights the finding of the 5th Common Review Mission Report which is a report compiled on the status of NRHM in Sikkim by a team of central doctors last November from their visits in North and East districts. It is informed that several lacunae in the implementation of NRHM have been highlighted in this report.
This includes the finding that patients are often referred to Gangtok, under small doubts, for minor tests which is a burden for the rural folk especially women. The report also states that doctors in the North district hospital may largely be prescribing branded drugs as opposed to generic drugs which are cheaper.
The petition also seeks that the health sub centres at Lachen and Lachung be upgraded and made fully functional; besides it is also sought that trafficked women in the short-stay homes and rape victims who become pregnant also be included in the Janani Suraksha Yojana.