Panaji, Sep 5 (IANS): The Goa Human Rights Commission on Saturday issued notices to the health secretary and the dean of the state's top government run medical facility over the issue of patients sleeping in the hospital's corridors last month.

The notices were issued some days after the issue was highlighted in the media and subsequently a petition was filed by three individuals, including a human rights' activist and an Aam Aadmi Party leader, with the commission.

The petition demanded that instead of making patients sleep in the hospital's corridors, patients without a bed should be accommodated in VIP rooms at the hospital, which are often vacant.

"Instead of making patients sleep on the floors in and around the neurology ward and/or any other ward, patients should be shifted to other wards where occupancy is available or should be housed in the private wards of GMC and/or in the GMC rooms meant for VIPs...

"The criteria of allotting beds in GMC should be who urgently needs the treatment, and not who is an influential person. VIP should mean Very Important Patient and not Very Important Person or Very Important Politician," the petition filed by advocate Satish Sonak and AAP secretary Valmiki Naik had said.

Both the state health secretary and the dean of the Goa Medical College, located near Panaji, have been asked to file their replies to the Commission's notice by September 24.