GUWAHATI: Gauhati High Court’s Kohima Bench has directed the Nagaland government to provide a detailed status report on the availability of Blood Banks and Blood Storage Units in all its 17 districts.
ALSO READ: NF Railway Electrifies Over 66% of Network, Targets 100% Green Operations
According to a LiveLaw report, the directive was issued by a division bench comprising Justice Soumitra Saikia and Justice Kaushik Goswami in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the implementation of the National Blood Policy and related Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines in the districts of Peren, Longleng, Kiphire, and Noklak.
The PIL also urged improvements to hospital infrastructure in these districts to enable the storage and availability of blood.
In an affidavit submitted earlier, the Mission Director of the National Health Mission informed the court that work orders for necessary machinery for Blood Banks had been issued, with installations completed in the identified districts. The affidavit included demonstration and installation reports confirming that the machinery met required standards.
However, the court underscored the need for a broader assessment, noting the systemic importance of blood banks for citizens across Nagaland. “Since this is a Public Interest Litigation and the issue raised is of substantial importance to citizens, particularly those in rural areas, the court directs respondents to file a detailed affidavit on the status of Blood Banks and Blood Storage Units in all 17 districts of Nagaland,” the bench stated.
The court granted the Nagaland government four weeks to submit the affidavit, which will form the basis for any further orders.
