HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government informed the High Court on Monday that a proposal to set up exclusive tribunals/grievance redressing mechanism on health issues, headed by a retired High Court judge with experts from the fields of medicine, sociology and administration, and a direction to compensate the members of victims of negligence and unethical medical practices, was under active consideration. Further, the government submitted that the AP Medical Council had got the power to take action against erring hospitals and doctors on receiving complaints from patients or their attendants.
The government, represented by principal secretary (health) Poonam Malakondaiah, filed a counter affidavit in this regard before the court in response to a PIL filed by K Narender, a journalist, seeking governmental regulation of corporate health sector and investigation into various irregularities committed by private hospitals. On an earlier occasion, a division bench comprising justices V Ramasubramanian and M Ganga Rao had directed the senior officer to appear before it on December 4 to explain as to why the department had failed to file counter affidavit.
Pursuant to the direction, Malakondaiah appeared in the court on Monday and submitted that the delay in filing the counter was due to communication gap. Taking this submission into consideration, the bench dispensed with her appearance on the next date of hearing.In the counter affidavit, the senior officer submitted that the government had taken measures to strengthen the health care delivery system at all levels in a comprehensive manner.
Steps taken to fill vacant posts of doctors
Steps were taken to fill up 551 vacant posts of doctors in hospitals which were under control of Vaidya Vidhana Parishad. Steps were also taken to fill another 324 vacant posts