Administrative Neglect, Staff Shortage Alleged in PIL on Talwara BBMB Hospital

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the poor condition of the 100-bed BBMB Hospital Talwara located in Talwara of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab. The petition has been filed by Talwara resident Shivam Kumar Sharma, who has alleged that the hospital has itself become “sick” due to administrative neglect, shortage of staff and inadequate infrastructure. The hospital serves as the primary healthcare facility for thousands of residents from several areas of Punjab, including Dasuya, Mukerian and Tanda, as well as nearby regions of Himachal Pradesh. According to the petition, despite being a 100-bed facility, the hospital does not have a permanent orthopedic specialist. In addition, 46 posts of paramedical staff remain vacant. The absence of a blood bank facility also forces doctors to refer emergency patients to distant hospitals, creating difficulties for those in urgent need of treatment. The petitioner has requested the court to upgrade the hospital into a satellite centre of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research or All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Alternatively, the plea suggests linking the hospital with AIIMS Bilaspur or PGI Chandigarh so that telemedicine services and consultations with specialist doctors can be made available to patients. The petition also seeks directions from the court to ensure that all vacant posts at the hospital are filled within two months in order to improve healthcare services for the local population.