Grievance redressal committee for medical facilities formed, govt tells Kerala HC

Kochi: The Kerala government on Wednesday informed the High Court that it has constituted a Grievance Redressal Committee under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018. The submission was made before a division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji, during the hearing of a writ petition seeking enforcement of safety standards in public medical facilities.

The petition was filed following the tragic collapse of a bathroom building at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, which led to the death of 56-year-old Bindu, who was accompanying her daughter for surgery. The incident sparked public outrage, especially after it was revealed that rescue operations were delayed.

Health Minister Veena George and Ports Minister V N Vasavan had initially visited the site and assured that no one was trapped under the debris. However, it was later confirmed that Bindu had indeed been trapped and died due to injuries sustained in the collapse. The opposition Congress alleged that lapses in the rescue response cost her life.

During Wednesday's hearing, the High Court expressed serious concern over the state’s failure to frame rules under the 2018 Act, which are necessary for conducting periodic inspections of clinical establishments, including government hospitals, even seven years after the Act’s enactment.

The court also noted that the Grievance Redressal Committee had been defunct for nearly 18 months since the expiry of the previous committee’s term in 2024.

In response, the government submitted that the new rules would be framed within three months and that a new committee had now been constituted. The bench directed the state to file these submissions as an affidavit before the next hearing, scheduled for August 26.

Meanwhile, the Congress has continued to demand a judicial probe into the Kottayam incident. On the day of the accident, KPCC president Sunny Joseph and senior party leaders visited the hospital and accused the government of negligence and attempting to downplay the seriousness of the tragedy.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, however, opted for an investigation by the District Collector rather than a judicial inquiry.

In the aftermath, the state announced compensation and rehabilitation measures, including a government job for Bindu’s son and covering the medical expenses of her daughter.
(With IANS inputs)