HC asks govt for status report on city’s medical infra
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to submit a comprehensive status report detailing its plans to align the medical infrastructure with the city’s burgeoning population.
The court underscored the glaring inadequacy of medical infrastructure in the national capital, citing a shortage of hospital beds.
The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna, emphasized the growing demand surpassing the available supply in an order issued on December 13. This directive stems from a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated in 2017, focusing on the availability of ICU beds and ventilator facilities in government hospitals.
During the proceedings, amicus curiae advocate Ashok Aggarwal presented a newspaper report titled “Turned Away by three hospitals fourteen-year-old cancer patient dies.” The report highlighted the tragic case of a 14-year-old girl succumbing to blood cancer at AIIMS on December 5. Allegedly, three government hospitals in Delhi had denied treatment, citing shortages in medicines, beds, or equipment.
The court acknowledged the gravity of the situation, noting, “Upon a reading of this report, it is apparent that medical infrastructure in the city of Delhi is inadequate and the number of hospital beds are insufficient. The demand is far in excess of the supply. The said report is taken on record.”
The matter is scheduled for further deliberation on January 29, 2024.
Earlier, the court had instructed hospitals under Central Government management to establish a Control Room providing real-time information about the availability of beds with ventilator facilities. This directive included notifying the relevant phone numbers through public notices in print media and web portals.
The court’s order on December 13, 2023, emphasized the urgent need for the Delhi government to address the critical gaps in medical infrastructure and ensure that healthcare facilities keep pace with the city’s population growth. The upcoming status report is expected to outline concrete measures and responses to the concerns raised by the amicus curiae, shaping the future course of action in improving healthcare accessibility in the national Capital.
