Lokayukta initiates suo motu action after surprise visit to 21 hospitals

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Lokayukta initiated suo motu proceedings against the State government, officials from the Health and Family Welfare department, and heads of the hospitals in question after taking note of the numerous deficiencies discovered during the recent surprise visit to 21 state government hospitals, including those run by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike in Bengaluru.

Justice BS Patil, the Karnataka Lokayukta, exercised his suo motu power under Sections 7(1) and 9(3)(a) of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act to order the registration of proceedings against the Principal Secretary, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare department, and authorities of the relevant hospitals in order to obtain their explanations.

"If doctors are not available during working hours to attend to patients, it not only causes inconvenience and hardship to patients but the object of establishing government hospitals is defeated. The deficiencies pointed out the need to be attended to for quality healthcare in hospitals. Reports received show a lack of supervision on the part of higher officers of the hospital," the Lokayukta said in the order.

In addition, he stated that the purpose of government hospitals is to offer affordable, effective healthcare to the less fortunate members of society who cannot afford to receive care at private facilities. He continued, postponing the hearing to October 20, 2022, that any failure on the part of officials charged with providing efficient and quality treatment in hospitals results in a denial of the right to life and liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution.

In KC General Hospital, there were a number of issues including lack of cleanliness in the restrooms, private parties encroaching on hospital premises, doctors practising outside, lack of employees, failure of incubators, patients subjected to harassment by Group "D" staff, and so on.

Lack of cleanliness in the wards, patient recovering from surgery placed in a maintenance shed, many doctors failing to record their attendance, unmaintained movement registers, bags of common rubbish etc were discovered in Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital.

At Jayanagar General Hospital, there were 33 unutilised ventilators, unutilised mobile ventilators, unhygienic conditions in the dental care unit, and an unutilised paediatric intensive care unit.