Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has shown serious concern regarding the acute shortage of doctors and medical staff in government hospitals. In response to this issue, the court has initiated a public interest litigation (PIL) on its own accord.
During the court’s proceedings, a bench led by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Krishna S Dixit referenced a news article published on October 16, which highlighted a significant deficit of approximately 16,500 medical professionals, including doctors, technicians, and healthcare staff.
Consequently, the high court’s registrar was directed to officially register a PIL based on the aforementioned news report and present it for judicial consideration.
The bench also noted the deficiency of primary health centers in 454 rural areas within the state. Additionally, there are shortfalls in various staff categories, encompassing 723 MBBS doctors, 7,492 nurses, 1,517 lab technicians, 1,517 pharmacy personnel, 1,752 support staff, and 3,253 Group D employees.
Recognizing the broader public interest involved in this matter, the high court has taken suo motu cognizance and appointed Advocate Sridhar Prabhu as amicus curiae to assist in addressing this pressing issue.
