Seeking detailed reports of the death of 877 newborn infants & 61 pregnant women in the state, the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Tuesday issued notices to the health & family welfare & social welfare departments.
Hearing a plea filed by social activist Agnes Kharshiῖing, the Human Rights Commission directed the Commissioner & Secretary, health services, & additional chief secretary of the social welfare department to respond to the allegations made by the petitioner “…to submit a detailed report on the matter so as to reach the state commission within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice for further necessary orders”.
The MHRC also expressed concern over the matter which raises serious issues of violation of human rights as Article 21 of the Constitution mandates for the protection of life & personal liberty of every citizen. It also pointed out that the right to life & health is a fundamental right & it is the paramount duty of the state to protect & safeguard such rights of any individual.
In her plea, Kharshiῖing, also, the president of the Civil Society of Women’s Organization (CSWO) sought the intervention of the MHRC with regard to the death of 877 newly born infants & 61 pregnant women in the state during the months of April till July, this year due to diseases other than the COVID-19.
Elaborating on this, Kharshiῖing told the news agency over the phone that the death of the 877 infants & 61 pregnant women as clarified by the Director of Health Services was due to lack of medical attention, pneumonia, & birth asphyxia & the death of most of the pregnant women happened since they weren't admitted to the hospital or health care centre for institutional delivery.
She further stated that the state has twelve big hospitals including private ones, thirty Community Health Centres (CHCs), 110 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), & also government-run civil hospitals in each of the eleven district headquarters, & the state suffers from a paucity of ambulances with only 72 ambulances serving the entire state with 1 or 2 ambulances for PHCs & CHCs.
“The right to health is integral to the right to life, & the government has a constitutional obligation to provide health facilities which in this case the fundamental rights under Article 21 is being violated,” she emphasised. “We need to ensure that such cases are minimised as much as possible. Right to life is applicable to all & newborn infants & pregnant women are no less. They need to be protected at all costs,” she alleged.
Reacting to the notice of the MHRC, the state health department has acknowledged receipt of the same. Secretary of the department MN Nampui told the news agency that “We have duly received it & taken note of the content of the notice. We have written to the health directorate asking for response to the same following which the Govt will table its report before the Commission. Rest assured an in depth study over the matter will be conducted by the Govt.”
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Commission for Women & the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights were also included as opposite party respondents in the case.
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