Nainital: The Uttarakhand high court has directed all health institutions in the state to treat accident victims and emergency cases without insisting that an FIR be registered. The court said that medical assistance should be rendered to accident victims as it was their constitutional duty.The court also directed the state government to start a multi-speciality hospital at Bhowali on the premises of the TB sanatorium there within six months.The division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh in the order stated, “There shall be a direction to all the sub-district/sub divisional hospitals, special centres, primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres, district hospitals, tertiary hospitals to treat accident victims and other emergency cases without insisting for registration of FIR. We also direct that army hospitals, private hospitals and private clinics shall also render medical assistance to the accident victims/emergency cases according to their constitutional duty.”Commenting that three hospitals in Nainital i.e. B D Pandey (Male) Govt District Hospital, B D Pandey (Female) Govt District Hospital and G B Pant Hospital (earlier known as Ramsay Hospital) are not functioning as per norms, the court directed the state government to establish trauma centres with essential equipment in every district hospital within three months.The court also asked the state hospitals to appoint doctors, nurses, para-medical staff, administrators etc as per Indian Public Health Standards within six months in hospitals, said Vipul Sharma, counsel for the petitioner.The petitioner Deepak Rubali had alleged that BD Pandey Government Hospital in Nainital lacked the necessary infrastructure.The court also said that it was aware of the financial crunch faced by Uttarakhand and said that it was the duty of the Centre to provide a special health package to hilly states to maintain and improve public health. The court requested the union ministry of health and family welfare to release the special health package to hill states to maintain and improve public health.Regarding shortage of doctors, staff and equipment, the court directed the state to set up a cardiac care unit and geriatric ward at the B D Pandey District Hospital in three months, appoint cardiologist and gynaecologist in two weeks, fill all vacant posts of doctors and paramedical staff in all three government hospitals in Nainital in three months by holding walk-in-interview on an urgent basis.

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