Demand judicial enquiry in MDR TB patients death in Rajan Babu T.B. Hospital, Delhi.

[Guest guest]

To

The Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Delhi,

Raj Niwas Marg,

Delhi-110054.

Subject;

Demand for judicial enquiry in the matter of deaths of indoor MDR TB patients in

the past one year due to denial of essential medicines and also in the matter of

denial of essential medicines to more than 50 Indoor MDR TB patients in Rajan

Babu T.B. Hospital, Kingways Camp, Delhi.

Respected Sir,

We are a Civil Rights Group consisting of Lawyers and Social Activists dedicated

to the cause of down-trodden, socially oppressed and economically exploited

sections of society. We are very much concerned about the right to health of

the poor people of this city.

We would like to bring to your kind notice that yesterday, on 23.02.2005, Sh.

Ashok Agarwal Advocate and Advisor Social Jurist visited R.B.T.B. hospital,

Kingways Camp, Delhi and found that more than 50 indoor MDR T.B. patients both

in male ward and female ward are not being given essential medicines, namely,

kanamycin injection, Ofloxcin Tablet, Ethionamide Tablet, Pyarazinimide (PZA)

etc. for the last 10 to 12 months continuously. The names of some of such

patients are (1) Bala w/o Sh. Naresh, (2) Hukmi Devi, (3) Saroj, (4) Jyoti, (5)

Hemlata, (6) Meenakashi, (7) Poonam, (8) Rajrani, (9) Neelam, (10) Kastri etc.

It may be stated that this hospital under MCD is the Asia's biggest T.B.

Hospital having 1200 beds.

During his visit to the hospital he interacted with indoor MDR TB patients,

their relatives, nursing staff and doctors including Medical Superintendent of

the Hospital. He was told that during the past one year, due to

non-availability of the essential medicines for indoor MDR TB patients, hundreds

of MDR TB patients left the hospital without completing their treatment and

hundreds of patients have died. He was told by the Medical Superintendent Dr.

R.C. Panda that he has not brought these facts to the notice of the higher

authorities because according to him, the higher authorities very well knew

about all these things. Such statement by such a responsible officer was a

surprise to Sh. Agarwal and it also reflected callousness on the part of the

municipal authorities. Sh. Agarwal also noticed that the toilet blocks in the

hospital were in very bad shape.

That today, the Indian Express has also reported the above happening. A copy of

the said press-report is enclosed hereto for kind perusal.

That we have sent a legal notice to the Municipal Commissioner Sh. Rakesh Mehta

on 23.02.2005 bringing to his notice that he has committed contempt of Hon'ble

Delhi High Court as denial of essential medicines to the indoor MDR TB patients

in the Hospital was in violation of the orders dated 22.04.1998 of the Hon'ble

Delhi High Court passed in PIL (C.W.No. 1404 of 1997 entitled All India Lawyers

Union v. Union of India etc.) and also in violation of the undertaking given by

Municipal and Govt. authorities before the Hon'ble Delhi High Court in the said

PIL.

Copies of the said legal notice dated 23.02.2005 and of Delhi High Court order

dated 22.04.1998 are enclosed hereto to for your ready reference.

That the aforesaid act on the part of the municipal authorities is a serious

criminal negligence in violation of fundamental right of the people to health

under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. This is a very serious matter of

great public importance and we therefore, earnestly expect from you to look into

this matter and order a judicial enquiry to ascertain the following:

(a) Whether there was non-availability of essential medicines for indoor MDR TB

patients during the last one year, if so, who is/are responsible for the same?

( How many Indoor MDR TB patients were admitted in the hospital during the

last one year?

© How many indoor MDR TB patients have died during the last one year and what

were the causes thereof?

(d) How many indoor MDR TB patients have left hospital without completing their

treatment and what were the causes thereof?

(e) Whether the indoor MDR TB patients who are denied essential medicines are

entitled to compensation from municipal authorities, if so, what should be the

quantum thereof?

(f) Whether the next kin of the indoor MDR TB patients who have died due to

culpable negligence on the part of municipal authorities during the past one

year are entitled to compensation, if so, what should be the quantum thereof?

(g) What could be the mechanism to have continuous monitoring to ensure good

treatment to the TB patients in the hospital?

It is also requested that judicial enquiry can also make other suggestions on

the improvements in the hospital.

We hope that immediate action may be taken to order judicial enquiry in the

present matter.

With warm regards.

Yours sincerely,

(ASHOK AGARWAL) ADVOCATE

ADVISOR, SOCIAL JURIST

M- 9811101923

SOCIAL JURIST: A Civil Rights Group

478-479, Lawyers' Chambers,

Western Wing, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi-110054.

Phone: 23910014, Fax: 23986541

E-mail: socialjur@...

Website: http://www.socialjurist.com