SCBMCH fire: Orissa HC seeks status report on judicial inquiry, trauma ICU restoration

Cuttack: While reviewing the progress on the restoration of the gutted trauma care ICU at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH), Cuttack, on Thursday, Orissa high court directed the state govt to submit a status report on the judicial inquiry into the recent fire at the health facility that left 12 patients dead.The state govt had ordered the judicial probe into the March 16 fire incident. The incident was a matter of serious public importance and would be investigated under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, the home department had notified on March 17.During the hearing on Thursday, the court was informed by Aswathy S, commissioner-cum-secretary of the state health and family welfare department, and SCBMCH superintendent Dr Jyotish Chandra Choudhury that a new trauma ICU was being set up in the department of surgery, and is likely to be operational by April 25.The court was told that for now, critical trauma patients are being managed in the ICUs of other departments such as orthopaedics and neurosurgery.Taking note of it, a division bench of Justices K R Mohapatra and V Narasingh ordered that “Additional Government Advocate Debasis Nayak shall apprise this Court regarding the progress made in the judicial inquiry instituted to look into the fire incident in the trauma ICU of SCBMCH which resulted in the unfortunate death of 12 patients”.Expressing concern, the bench observed that the ongoing judicial inquiry should not become a roadblock in expediting restoration of the trauma care ICU, stressing the need for early revival of the facility. “The matter will be taken up after the state places an update on both the inquiry and restoration work,” the bench said.Retired district judge Laxmidhar Biswal, appointed as the single member commission, has been asked to submit its report within 60 days. The commission has also been asked to recommend measures to prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies.Besides, the commission has been asked to examine the sequence of events leading to the fire, the role and accountability of officials or authorities involved, and the preparedness of the SCBMCH and other agencies in responding to such emergencies. It will also assess the effectiveness of measures taken before and after the incident to save the patients.