Plea in HC to establish skin bank at Madurai GRH

Madurai: The Madras high court on Wednesday sought a response from the state government on a plea which sought to establish a skin bank at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai district, which would benefit people of the southern districts.

The court was hearing the public interest litigation filed by R Manibharathi, a law graduate from Madurai district. The petitioner stated that he came to know that the proposal for establishing a skin bank at the burns unit at GRH is pending before the government. He stated that GRH receives patients with grievous burn injuries from fireworks and matches units in Virudhunagar district.

Seeking to swiftly complete the construction and inaugurate the bone bank which is set up in the burns unit building at the GRH, the petitioner also sought to establish biomaterial centres at government hospitals similar to the centre which is functioning at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital to store skin, bones, cartilages and heart valves among other biomaterials.

A division bench of justices M M Sundresh and S Ananthi sought a response from the state government on the steps taken to establish a skin bank at GRH. With regard to establishment of biomaterial centres, the judges observed that it would be appropriate to establish such centres at all districts as accidents occur across the state. The judges also sought a response in this regard.