Health Services Director and Sambalpur Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) have been asked to appear before the Odisha State Human Rights Commission (OHRC) personally on June 23 and submit all relevant reports pertaining to non-use of free Government medicines. The OHRC summons for personal appearance of the Director and CDMO came when they failed to respond to the repeated notices of the commission over the matter.
Acting on a petition filed by Human Rights Watch secretary Sangita Swain, the commission on many occasion desired to have a report from the Health Services Director and Sambalpur CDMO. But they failed to comply with the report despite issuance of five reminders to them. On March 9, the Health Services and Sambalpur CDMO were reminded to expedite submission of such report within four weeks positively, failing which they would appear before the commission on April 27.
“But they did not submit report within the stipulated time,” said the petitioner, adding that this shows lackadaisical attitude on the part of the two responsible officers. However, the commission, before taking any coercive measures directed them to appear in person before it at 11:30 am on June 23 to explain the reasons of the delay.