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Melghat: Decades of Deaths, Still No Hospital
27 Mar
Summary
- Court notes unchanged malnutrition deaths despite two decades of hearings.
- Hospital construction halted for decades, with only paperwork progress.
- Young adults also affected by anaemia and lack of nourishment.
The Bombay High Court expressed dismay over the persistent child and maternal deaths due to malnutrition in Maharashtra's Melghat region, observing that the situation has seen no significant change in over two decades of judicial hearings. Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri highlighted the grim reality of babies dying from malnutrition, pointing to the state government's failure to provide adequate food and medical care.
Dr. Ashish Satav, a petitioner and long-time Melghat worker, detailed critical issues including a lack of nutritional awareness, insufficient hospital funds, and inadequate preventive care. He stated that recommendations made over the years have gone unheeded, forcing him and others to fund patient treatments personally.
The court lambasted the government's response, questioning the meaning of 'trying to save people' when thousands, including infants and young adults aged 16-24, are succumbing to malnutrition, anaemia, and lack of nourishment. The plight of young adults, an economically productive demographic, was specifically noted.
A 300-bedded hospital, promised decades ago for Dharni, remains unbuilt. The court noted that despite reports and files moving between tables, no construction has begun. The state government has been directed to decide on commencing this hospital, with further hearings scheduled.
