Hindu Rao stir: Delhi govt orders shifting of Covid-19 patients to own facilities

New Delhi: Delhi government on Saturday ordered shifting of COVID-19 patients from North Corporation-run Hindu Rao Hospital to its own facilities, with Health Minister Satyendar Jain hitting out at the BJP-led civic body, saying it should "hand over" municipal hospitals to the AAP dispensation if they cannot run them.

North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash shot back, claiming crores of fund are due to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation from the Delhi government, which they are "not paying to handicap us".

The move to shift patients comes days after the resident doctors of the Hindu Rao hospital went on a "symbolic indefinite strike" over their due salaries for the last three months.

Hindu Rao is the largest municipal hospital in Delhi with 900 beds, and is currently a dedicated COVID-19 facility. Many of its healthcare workers had contracted the infection earlier.

Interacting with reporters, Jain said as of now, 20 patients are at the Hindu Rao Hospital.

"Today, we have ordered to shift all COVID-19 patients from Hindu Rao Hospital to our own facilities. They have the choice to be shifted to LNJP Hospital or any other government hospital nearby their homes," he said.

Later, Jain also tweeted: "North MCD has not paid salries of Hindu Rao Hospital docs for months. Docs r going on strike from tomo. Therefore, all covid-19 patients in this hospi r being shifted to Del Govt Hospitals. MCD shud immediately pay salries of Docs. Docs hv made huge sacrifices during corona (sic)".

Hindu Rao falls under the jurisdiction of the NDMC. Doctors on Thursday had threatened to withdraw work from Sunday if their demands were not met.