Squalor, medical neglect at Faridabad health centre amount to rights violation: Panel

Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report detailing squalid conditions at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Mujesar in Faridabad, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has directed the carrying out of sanitation drives before calling for a report on the corrective measures and the existing situation.

The directions came after the commission held that the situation amounted to a “grave violation of human rights” and breached the constitutional guarantees under Articles 21 and 14.

Referring to the news-report, the commission took note of the presence of foul-smelling stagnant water, overflowing open drains and unregulated parking outside the health facility severely hampering access — particularly for pregnant women and the elderly. The report also flagged acute shortage of medicines, routine referrals to district hospitals for minor illnesses and a total collapse of basic sanitation, indicating systemic administrative neglect.

A Full Bench comprising chairperson Justice Lalit Batra, and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia observed that the decaying infrastructure and lack of essential services directly infringed upon the rights to health, dignity and equality.

The commission directed the Chief Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon, Faridabad, to submit a detailed report on the UPHC’s infrastructure, staff availability and availability of medicines, along with corrective measures taken so far.

Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, was also directed ordered to conduct immediate sanitation drives, clean the drainage system and ensure unobstructed road access to the health centre. A compliance report is to follow.

Representatives of both the CMO and the MC Commissioner were also directed to appear before the commission in person on July 23, along with their action-taken reports. The commission’s Protocol, Information and Public Relations Officer Puneet Arora said the order was also forwarded to the Additional Chief Secretaries of the Urban Local Bodies and Health and Family Welfare Departments, as well as the Director-General, Health Services, for compliance.