Committee to monitor health services, Government tells HC

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, June 10: The State government has informed the Meghalaya High Court that it has constituted a high powered committee to address the deficiencies in health care services in health delivery institutions in the state.

The term of reference of the Committee will be to recommend remedial steps in addressing the deficiencies in health care delivery services in health institutions.

This was informed to the High Court on June 9 while hearing a sou moto cognizance of deficiencies on health services in Meghalaya after four lawyers from the state sent a joint letter to the court in February this year.

The High Court said that while constitution of such a Committee could be accepted as a welcome step when it indicates realization on the part of the government that deficiencies in health care services in the State of Meghalaya are seriously required to be addressed to and remedial measures are required to be taken.

The High Court pointed out that it wants to include one independent person in the Committee. In this connection the counsel for the state government proposed the me of the Senior Advocate HS Thangkhiew for the purpose.

Meanwhile, the court also observed that it would be expected of the Committee to start functioning with promptitude and to address the issues expeditiously.

“The Committee shall be expected to hold its first meeting in the next week and thereafter, on regular basis; and to address the issues in concrete and effective manner. It would be expected of the Committee to draw up specific and precise minutes of its proceedings and all such minutes shall invariably be placed before the Court at the time of hearing,” the High Court said.

The next hearing into the matter has been fixed on August 1, 2016