KOCHI: District Collector S Suhas has called a meeting of representatives of National Health Mission (NHM) and other departments on Monday to decide on the steps required for the welfare of the specially-abled children admitted at Hestia Hospital, who were left in the lurch after the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) disconnected the power supply to the hospital for a few hours on February 6.
The meeting has been called on the directive of the High Court. The children were admitted to the hospital by Life Care Foundation for neurorehabilitation, promising treatment, care and food for free.
A District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) official said at present, the medical needs of the children were being taken care of by doctors from NHM.
“The children are also being provided with food by the Kerala High Court Advocates Association,” said the official, adding, KSEB had promised to continue the power supply to the hospital till Monday.
Taking note of the pathetic condition of the specially-abled children, the High Court had, on Friday, directed the superintendent of the Ernakulam General Hospital to depute a general physician to check their medical condition.
Justice Sathish Ninan had also directed the collector, who heads the local-level committee under the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, to inform the court about the decision that is taken at the February 10 meeting of the committee.
The court impleaded the CEO of Life Care Foundation, which runs Hestia Hospital, and ordered to issue a notice on him.
The court initiated action based on the report of V Ramkumar Nambiar, the amicus curiae it appointed. The report said the foundation had abruptly stopped the hospital’s functioning and withdrew the facilities available to the children.
Though KSEB had disconnected power supply to the hospital for non-payment of bills, it was restored following the intervention of the DLSA. The report said at present, neither the hospital nor the health ward where the children were admitted was functioning, leaving the kids unattended. The court posted the case for hearing to February 11.