All government medical colleges should get dental labs: HC

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras high court on Monday directed the state's health department set up full-fledged dental laboratories with specialists in all 21 government medical college hospitals in the state by the end of next financial year. The court gave this direction while hearing a public interest litigation relating to shortage of doctors and nurses in government hospitals. When the case came up for hearing before the division bench of Justice S Nagamuthu and Justice MV Muralidaran on Monday, the government submitted a report, which the court had sought when the case had come up for hearing last week.

The court, which perused the report asked, "The writ petition alleged that there were 110 doctors on deputation. When you denied it, the court had asked for a report relating to the number of doctors and nurses who are at present on deputation in hospitals in the state. But, you have stated that there are 18 people in the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. What about the status in the remaining hospitals?" It then asked for a fresh report from the government. 

The court also expressed concern over the non-availability of proper dental care treatment to the people in the state. The court came to know about this through the principal of the Tamil Nadu Government Dental College (Chennai) B Saravanan who appeared before the court and told that 2,500 patients per month are subjected to root canal therapy at the government dental college in Chennai. It asked him, "Will the district not have at least 500 patients? Is a lab not must for them in districts? As an academician, what did you suggest to the government to promote dental care in the state?

The principal replied that he suggested to appoint five specialists in each government medical college hospital.