Meghalaya Human Rights Commission serves notice to government

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC), has issued notice to the government on the deaths of 877 infants and 61 pregnant women during the period from April to July.

It may be mentioned that recently women and child rights activist Agnes Kharshiing had filed a petition before the MHRC regarding the deaths of infants and pregnant women in the State.

The MHRC has asked the government to submit a detailed report on the matter within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice.

Kharshiing, in her petition, had stated that the death of the 877 newborn infants and 61 pregnant women as clarified by the Director of Health Service (MI), Dr. Aman War was due to the lack of medical attention, pneumonia and asphyxia and the death of most of the pregnant women was that they were not admitted to hospital or healthcare centre for institutional delivery.

In her petition, Kharshiing further stated that though the State has 12 big hospitals, including private ones, 30 Community Health Centres, 110 Primary Health Centres and also government-run Civil Hospitals in each of the 11 district headquarters yet the State suffers from the paucity of ambulances with only 72 of them serving the entire populace of Meghalaya. She further stated that health is integral to the right to life; and the government has Constitutional obligation to provide healthcare facilities which in this case falls under the Fundamental Rights under Article 21 — and it is being violated.

The MHRC said that on perusal of the papers on record, the Commission is deeply concerned with the matter which raises serious issues of violation of human rights as Article 21 of the Constitution mandates for protection of life and personal liberty to every citizen and right to life and health is fundamental rights and it is the paramount duty of the state to protect and safeguard such rights of any individual. 

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