HC voices concern over state of govt hosps in city

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has voiced concerns over the state of government hospitals in the national Capital and directed the Delhi government to ensure the proper functioning of equipment in healthcare facilities.

A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, addressed the matter while hearing a 2017 suo motu plea related to a news report about a newborn’s death due to the unavailability of an ICU bed in any government hospital in the city.

The bench emphasised the need for functioning medical equipment, specifically mentioning the CT scan machine at GTB Hospital. The court questioned, “The equipment must work. What kind of hospital is this?” The Delhi government’s counsel informed the bench that an inquiry was underway.

Earlier this month, the court had sought details on the amount spent on the health sector in the last five years. The move followed a newspaper report about a man denied admission to four government hospitals after being injured. The man, who had jumped out of a PCR van, was refused admission and later succumbed to his injuries.

Advocate Ashok Aggarwal, appointed as amicus curiae, highlighted that “nine Delhi government hospitals do not have ICU beds.” The bench indicated its intention to pass an order asking the Secretary of Health GNCTD to ensure all equipment is functional within a month.

In a previous hearing, Aggarwal recounted a case where a man was denied admission to multiple hospitals, including GTB Hospital, citing non-availability of a CT scan and ICU or ventilator beds. The court urged the government to speak to the secretary and ensure allocated funds are utilized effectively.

While the Delhi government’s inquiry is ongoing, the bench has asked the Centre’s counsel to confirm if any inquiry is being conducted at RML Hospital, a Central government-run facility. The court has called for suggestions from all parties involved and listed the matter for further proceedings.

The Delhi government, in its affidavit, revealed a total budget expenditure of Rs 21,436.80 crore for all its hospitals between April 1, 2017, and January 24, 2023.

The Centre expressed no objection, in principle, to the establishment of a central portal providing real-time bed availability information.