Ernakulam: Stressing the urgent need to improve infrastructure, hygiene, and availability of medicines and equipment in government hospitals, the Kerala High Court has directed the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) to conduct inspections across the state and submit a consolidated report within six weeks.
Concerns Raised by the Court
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji was hearing a PIL on safety standards in public healthcare facilities. The court noted that:
- Government medical colleges and hospitals had not been inspected for over a year.
- The grievance redressal committee under the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018 had been inactive for more than 18 months, and was reconstituted only on August 19, 2025.
- The State Council under the Act had failed to carry out its supervisory inspections of government hospitals.
The judges observed:
“The State Council established under the Act of 2018 also has overall supervisory tasks to perform. However, it has not carried out inspections of Government Hospitals, and the grievance redressal committee remained non-functional for more than one and a half years.”
Role of KeLSA
When asked if KeLSA could assist, its counsel informed the court that:
- Taluk and District Legal Services Authorities would conduct visits to hospitals in their jurisdiction.
- They would examine infrastructure, hygiene, staff, medicines, and equipment, and prepare reports.
- Reports from Taluk-level bodies would be sent to the District Authority, compiled, and forwarded to the State Legal Services Authority, which would then submit them to the grievance redressal committee and State Council.
The counsel clarified that these inspections would support the feedback mechanism but would not replace the statutory responsibilities of the State Council.
Push for Public Accessibility
Now that the grievance redressal committee has been revived, the High Court suggested that the State Government make it more accessible and transparent by:
- Providing it with an online presence.
- Creating a dedicated email ID and, if feasible, a social media platform for grievances.
This, the court said, would enable residents of Kerala to directly upload grievances and evidence, improving accountability in the state’s healthcare system.
Background & Next Hearing
The PIL was filed after the collapse of a building at Kottayam Medical College, which raised alarms over infrastructure safety in state-run hospitals.
The matter will be heard again on October 7, 2025.
