Orissa high court asks government for details on healthcare facilities in districts

Cuttack: The Orissa high court on Wednesday directed the secretary, health and family welfare department, Shalini Pandit to file a comprehensive affidavit on corrective measures taken to improve the quality of healthcare in all districts.

The HC was hearing the PIL filed by lawyer and social activist Chittaranjan Mohanty. An affidavit filed by special secretary (Medical Services) Dr Dinabandhu Panda was placed in the court. But the two-judge bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman rejected it and issued the direction only after Pandit appeared in the virtual mode.

Though Pandit stated that steps are being taken to fill up 90 per cent of the posts for MBBS doctors and to expand diagnostic facilities across the state, the bench sought an affidavit with "more granular details" and "exact timeline" for filling up the posts and putting in place the diagnostic facilities. Pandit assured to file the affidavit by April 3. The bench posted the matter to April 12 for further consideration.