The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo motu notice of a newspaper report which revealed that despite government sanctioning of a ₹15 crore proposal meant for procurement of modern medical equipment for the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur, no new machines have been delivered even four months after the approval. A bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru expressed strong displeasure at the delay, observing that although required funds are available, the non-availability of machines causes significant hardship to both doctors and patients. The Court noted that the use of outdated equipment hampers timely treatment and prevents doctors from serving a larger number of patients.
The news report which triggered this judicial action outlined that while some minor purchases—such as sonography and dialysis machines costing about ₹66 lakh—had been made by CIMS, this was grossly inadequate compared to the total requirement that the approved proposal aimed to meet. According to CIMS doctors, with the proper machinery, many more patients could be examined in a shorter amount of time, and the quality of care would noticeably improve. The Medical Superintendent of CIMS was quoted as saying that responsibility for supply and installation of the modern equipment lies with higher government authorities, and that efforts were being made from CIMS’s side to expedite installation as soon as machines are supplied.
Given these facts, the Court directed two senior officials to file personal affidavits: the Secretary of the Health Department of Chhattisgarh and the Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (the body responsible for medical equipment procurement). These affidavits are to explain the reasons for the delay in supplying the new equipment and detail what steps are being taken to ensure installation is done at the earliest. The Court scheduled the next hearing for September 18.
In its remarks, the Court emphasised that the presence of sanctioned funds does not absolve the State of its responsibility to act in a timely manner, especially in sectors affecting public health. It drew attention to how delays result in unnecessary burden on existing infrastructure, and delay means patients lose precious time that could otherwise save lives or reduce suffering. The Court remarked that making modern equipment available would not just ease workflow for doctors but also significantly improve treatment outcomes.
The case has been registered as WPPIL No. 93 of 2023, titled In The Matter Of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation, Regarding News Item v. State Of Chhattisgarh & Others. The Court’s solicitations of affidavits reflect its intention to hold accountable those responsible for procurement and supply delays, and to ensure that promised public health infrastructure enhancements are realized in practice.
The summary of the issue is that while the government approved a substantial budget for medical-equipment modernisation at CIMS, the delay in delivery has stretched over months, causing suffering despite smaller interim procurements. The Court’s intervention seeks both explanation and corrective action, underlining that sanctioned funds must translate into actual medical infrastructure, especially in institutions meant to serve broad patient populations.
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