Delhi High Court constitutes a committee to suggest ways to improve the healthcare facilities in Delhi prison

A committee has been constituted by the Delhi High Court headed by the Delhi health secretary to suggest ways for  improving the healthcare facilities in Delhi’s prisons.

The other members of the committee include the Director General (Prisons), Chief Medical Officer of Delhi Prisons, two senior jail visiting judges of district courts, Secretary of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority as well as advocates Sanjay Dewan and Gayatri Puri.

The Court said that the committee comprising the best in the field will give suggestions, regarding improving the health care facilities in the prisons and ways to promote equal health care to all prisoners within a period of one month to this Court.

 The committee has also been asked to clearly inform the Court id the facilities are available in the jail hospital to deal with emergency situations such as cardiac arrest, haemorrhages etc. as the first few minutes in such eventuality are crucial to save the life of a prisoner.

The bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has also instructed the Home Secretary and the Health and Family Welfare Secretary of Delhi government for making sure that the healthcare requirements of the prison inmates are met and infrastructure is maintained in the prisons.

The Court also asked the doctors in-charge of the jail dispensaries for providing a list of requirements to the Chief Medical Officers.

The Chief Medical officer will then have to submit weekly reports to the Director General (Prison) who, in turn, will communicate the same to the visiting judicial officer.

The Court added that the report shall also be furnished to the Secretary (Home).

The court clearly said that the issue is serious as it concerns life of people.

The Court further added that the report mentioned above, will be addressed and the necessary supplies, equipment, medicines will be ensured to be provided within two days. The machines/medical equipment, if not in order, will be repaired or a substitute will be provided immediately by the State.”

The detailed orders were passed by Justice Sharma  while dealing with a plea filed by Delhi excise policy case accused Amandeep Singh Dhall seeking interim bail.

The Court was apprised how petitioner Mr Dhall recently underwent C6-C7 transforaminal epidural steroid injection and Right C6-C7 facet joint block under local anaesthesia and the doctors advised him to continue taking physiotherapy sessions.

But since November 20, 2023, no physiotherapy sessions have been provided to him despite the daily visits to the OPD because the jail hospital does not have the requisite facilities.

The Court considered the case and observed that the report submitted by the prison dispensary points to a distressing reality regarding lack of proper medical care facilities in the jails.

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