The High Court of Uttarakhand has ordered the State Government to install closed circuit television cameras in all Government hospitals. The High Court also asked the State Government about the number of vacant posts of doctors and other staff in Government hospitals. The high court division bench of justices VK Bisht and Lokpal Singh issued issued the direction while hearing on a public interest litigation filed by Naresh Mandola.
The petitioner had stated that nine child deaths had taken place in the Sushila Tiwari Government medical college hospital in Haldwani in a period of three weeks. These were caused by a dearth of doctors in the hospital, the petitioner stated.
Hearing the petition, the division bench asked the State Government about the number of vacant posts of doctors and other staff in Government hospitals. The Government was also directed to submit an affidavit in this regard in two weeks. The affidavit should also have information about the steps taken by the Government to fill the vacant posts. The division bench further directed that CCTV cameras should be installed at the emergency, OPD and registration cells in all the Government hospitals of the State.