The Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, has issued a crucial directive following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Rangro Herie and Kikrükhuono Pfukha, concerning the availability and infrastructure of blood banks in Nagaland. The PIL, heard by Justices Soumitra Saikia and Kaushik Goswami on November 13, 2024, specifically highlighted concerns about inadequate facilities for blood storage in the districts of Peren, Kiphire, Longleng, and Noklak.
According to a report by India Legal, the petitioners called for improvements in hospital infrastructure, particularly for blood storage, to ensure the timely availability of blood for medical emergencies. In response to these concerns, the court instructed the state government to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the existence and operational status of blood banks and blood storage units across all 17 districts of Nagaland.
This decision came after an affidavit was submitted by the Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), detailing the steps taken to improve blood bank infrastructure in Tuensang, Kiphire, Mon, and Phek districts.
The affidavit confirmed that work orders had been issued for the installation of blood bank equipment, machinery had been supplied, and installation reports confirmed that the equipment was functioning as required.
Nagaland has long struggled with challenges in its blood banking infrastructure. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report noted that several districts still lack functioning blood banks, and the state’s mean assessment score for blood banks stood at 55.17, with discrepancies across districts.