Bombay high court orders state govt to form committee to frame rules for city’s civic hospitals

Panel has to formulate a standard operating procedure to avoid adverse drug reaction incidents among patients in city’s civic hospitals

The Bombay high court has directed the state government to constitute a committee to come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP) to avoid incidents of adverse drug reaction among patients admitted to civic hospitals in Mumbai.

The committee will also comprise a joint director each from medical education and drugs department, and public health department. (FILE)

The committee will be headed by a joint director of the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration and have a medical superintendent of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as its member secretary. The committee will also comprise a joint director each from medical education and drugs department, and public health department.

A division bench of justice Bhushan Gavai and justice Bharati Dangre has directed the committee to examine BMC’s medicine procurement system and suggest measures to ensure only WHO-compliant medicines, drugs and equipment are purchased in civic hospitals.

The committee will also suggest the staff strength required for civic hospitals in Mumbai and devise a mechanism to transmit patient history to the staff concerned before any drugs are administered to them.

The judges, however, said the affidavit of respondent authorities showed the adverse reaction was not owing to sub-standard quality, but because of the manner of administration.