The Calcutta High Court in a recent order asked Centre to make infrastructure of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyani, West Bengal, at par with that of AIIMS in Delhi after it was informed that there was no post-mortem facility at AIIMS Kalyani.
The court was hearing a matter concerning the rape and murder of a school girl in West Bengal's Jayanagar. The high court was told that AIIMS Kalyani lacked the infrastructure to carry out a post-mortem, and the same would have to be carried out another hospital nearby.
A bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh observed that the word “All India Institute of Medical Sciences” refers to a premier brand health organisation, where common man can have the services of best of the doctors available in the Country.
'Surprising That Till date There Is No Infrastructure For Conducting Post Mortem Examination At AIIMS, Kalyani'
"This is surprising that till date there is no infrastructure for conducting post mortem examination at AIIMS, Kalyani and the infrastructure of a tertiary referral hospital like J.N.M. Hospital, Kalyani had to be used for the purposes of post mortem examination by the doctors of AIIMS, Kalyani."
Terming the information as disheartening, the high court said that the institution has been offering courses to best of the students across the Country at the Graduation and Post-graduation level in the field of medical sciences. So far as the services to the citizen at large is concerned, the confidence must be reposed that every infrastructure and facility is made available within the boundary and premises of AIIMS, Kalyani, it added.
"The institute is not restricted for only academic purposes but also for rendering services to patients who are suffering from acute diseases. If an AIIMS is situated within a State the common man at large should be benefited by the services of the best of the doctors who are ready, but they are not having a support system to execute their ability," the order read.
Bring West Bengal AIIMS At Par With AIIMS Delhi
The high court directed the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to ascertain the dearth in infrastructure in the institution being AIIMS, Kalyani so that the infrastructure therein is built at par with AIIMS, Delhi or AIIMS, Rishikesh.
"Steps be taken by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to complete the infrastructure preferably by 31st December, 2025. In case any permission, license is to be granted by the State Government no deterrence or hindrance be created in granting of such license to the authorities of AIIMS, Kalyani. The State would cooperate for facilitating the services of AIIMS, Kalyani to the common people at large."
The court ordered that there should not be any further complaint before this Court regarding the services rendered by AIIMS, Kalyani and J.N.M. Hospital, Kalyani as the issue relating to post mortem examination which has been canvassed by the State of West Bengal before this Court in tune with the prayer of the father of the deceased, has been sub-served.