Allahabad High Court Takes Serious View Of Deplorable State Of A Reputed Civil Hospital’s ‘Lawaris Ward’

The Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench has taken a serious view on a matter relating to the deplorable state of a ‘Lawaris Ward’ of a reputed civil hospital based on a PIL (Public Interest Litigation).

A Division Bench comprising Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Jyotsna Sharma said, “By means of present public interest litigation a very serious issue has been raised, depicting the pathetic condition existing in Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital, Lucknow (hereinafter referred to as "the Civil Hospital"). … It is very surprising that in such a reputed hospital existing in the heart of State Capital where state of "lawaris ward" is existing in such a deplorable state as has been informed by the petitioner. This Court takes serious view of the aforesaid facts.”

The Bench has directed the Secretary of State Legal Services Authority, U.P. to inspect the said hospital, especially the ‘lawaris ward’.

The petitioner Jyoti Rajpoot appeared in person while Additional Chief Standing Counsel appeared on behalf of the respondents.

In this case, the petitioner claimed that she saw an aged person who was raggedly dressed, naked below the waist, in a paralyzed state, and was repeatedly passing stool and a fetid smell was disseminating from his body due to not bathing for many months. It was in such condition that the petitioner called the medical emergency number '108' and took the said abandoned person to a hospital where she admitted him to an emergency ward, but when she visited the hospital after a few days, she found that the patient was in the same condition as she had left him.

It was next submitted that subsequently the said patient was shifted from Emergency Ward to a "Lawaris Ward" of the hospital where conditions were extremely pathetic as there were six other patients who were in a paralyzed state and one patient was semi-paralyzed. Surprisingly all six patients were soiled in their beds and the smell was also disseminating from their bodies which got spread over the entire ward, and on informing the authorities concerned, no action was taken.

The High Court in view of the facts and circumstances of the case observed, “Accordingly, Secretary, State Legal Services Authority, U.P. Lucknow is directed to immediately proceed and inspect the Civil Hospital specially the "lawaris ward" and submit a report to this Court by 13.06.2023. … In the meanwhile, learned Additional Chief Standing Counsel shall immediately inform the Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow as well as Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, Lucknow of the cognizance having been taken by this Court and they are directed to proceed immediately to look into the grievance as raised by the petitioner in the present Public Interest Litigation.”

Accordingly, the Court listed the matter for the next hearing on June 13, 2023.

Cause Title- Jyoti Rajpoot v. Union of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare New Delhi Thru. Secy and Others

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