Gujarat: Petitioners challenge board resolution that led to downsizing at Ahmedabad’s VS Hospital.

Source – indianexpress.com

The petition at the Gujarat High Court challenging the VS Hospital downsizing was allowed a draft amendment to the petition on Friday so as to challenge the very resolution that led to the downsizing of the charitable hospital.

The resolution was passed by the board of the hospital on December 17, 2018 to reduce the beds from 1,155 to 500. “It is ab initio void as 5th member from Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is not the leader of opposition but from the ruling party which is against the trust deed,” the petition stated. “Majority is acquired by bringing somebody contrary to the trust deed and the resolutions are passed and therefore same is ab initio void,” the amendment stated.

Furthermore, the amendment brings to light the deterioration of the hospital since it was downsized. “Since 2019, for reasons best known to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, services at these hospitals have been abruptly discontinued… Photographic evidence shows transfer of beds and equipment, even while the board chairperson had assured the members that ‘not a pin will be moved’…”

The petition now also highlights that only three departments are functional at present – orthopedics, surgery and medicine – and the gynecology department at the Chinai Maternity Home.

Pursuant to these addendum, the petitioner-donor trustees – Brijesh and Rupa Chinai – have sought that the December 2018 resolution be quashed and set aside.

The petitioners have also sought that they be provided a copy of a recent resolution of 2019 which was passed based on some structural report that demolition of the existing hospital is required as structural report states that hospital buildings are to be demolished.

The matter is expected to be heard further Thursday.