The Supreme Court has ordered a nationwide audit of intensive care unit (ICU) facilities in India, giving states and Union Territories two months to assess infrastructural and manpower gaps.
The court also directed a nationwide audit of nursing colleges, requiring the Indian Nursing Council (INC) to submit a report on hands-on training facilities available to students across the 800 colleges under it.
The audit aims to bring critical care facilities at par with model guidelines by a court-appointed panel of experts.
States and UTs have been asked to ensure a gap assessment exercise is undertaken and completed in two months, and to work out modalities of putting into place minimum standards required for having ICU in any institution.
The court has also ordered INC to submit a report by July 31 on all nursing colleges, the facilities provided for practical training, and the distance of the attached hospital from the college.
The court's directions come in the wake of a case of medical negligence filed by Asit Baran Mondal, who sought compensation for the death of his wife in a Kolkata hospital in 2013.
