Court Lashes Out at Crumbling Government Medical Infrastructure, Blames ‘Medical Mafias’
Prayagraj: In a scathing rebuke, the Allahabad High Court has condemned the appalling condition of Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital, affiliated with Motilal Nehru Medical College, describing it as a “mortuary rather than a hospital.” The court voiced grave concern over the growing influence of private medical mafias in Prayagraj, asserting that the city’s public healthcare system is under serious threat.
Medical Mafias Undermining Public Healthcare
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, in an order passed on Friday, stated that the SRN Hospital is in a deplorable state, where poor patients are being misled and diverted by touts working for private healthcare players. “Prayagraj is under the grip of medical mafias… SRN Hospital is in a pathetic condition,” the court remarked, as reported by PTI.
Court-Appointed Report Highlights Neglect
The court was responding to a report submitted by two amicus curiae who visited SRN Hospital and reported gross inadequacies, including the lack of basic facilities and the frequent absence of doctors in the OPD. The report also mentioned the presence of brokers from private diagnostic centers inside the hospital, luring patients away for profit.
Basic Amenities Missing, Medical Services Collapsing
According to a Times of India report referenced by the court, even essential utilities such as water, fans, and air conditioning were unavailable in the hospital. The hospital’s proximity—just one kilometer away—from the site of the recently held Mahakumbh, which saw a footfall of over 66 crore pilgrims, was cited as an alarming example of infrastructural negligence.
State Administration and Lawmakers Criticized
The court did not spare public representatives either. It criticized MPs and MLAs from Prayagraj for their indifference and slammed ministers from the region for ignoring the dismal state of SRN Hospital. “The state and district administration have failed to provide even basic healthcare facilities,” the bench stated.
The court noted that cities like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Gorakhpur have hospitals with capacities exceeding 2,000 beds, while Prayagraj, despite hosting the world’s largest religious fair, has only 1,750 beds.
Action Ordered and Next Hearing Scheduled
The bench directed the Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Medical Health) to convey the court’s order to the Chief Secretary, and if necessary, to the Chief Minister. It also instructed the district magistrate to form a monitoring team to curb private practice among faculty members of the medical college.
The matter has been listed for the next hearing on May 29.
