Minister makes surprise visit to Maharishi Valmiki Hosp, orders immediate reforms

New Delhi: In a proactive move to overhaul healthcare delivery in Delhi, Health minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh paid a surprise visit to Maharishi Valmiki Hospital in Pooth Khurd, Bawana on Friday. The inspection was aimed at evaluating both service

quality and the pace of ongoing infrastructure development in the hospital.

Accompanied by Social Welfare minister Ravinder Indraj Singh, Singh toured critical areas of the facility, including the OPD, emergency department, operation theatres, and pharmacy. He took stock of doctor and staff availability, hygiene standards, equipment status, and the patient experience.

During his visit, Singh engaged directly with patients, attendants, and hospital staff to hear their concerns. Expressing dissatisfaction over slow progress in civil works and staff shortages, he issued strict instructions for immediate rectification. “People rely on this hospital for quality care. Infrastructure delays and staffing gaps are unacceptable,” he stated. He added that pending infrastructure issues

would be resolved in coordination with relevant departments and emphasised that efforts were already underway to improve healthcare delivery in government hospitals.

Highlighting the government’s broader healthcare vision, Singh said, “Our mission is to make world-class medical care accessible to every Delhi resident. Citizens will soon notice visible upgrades in facilities and services across public hospitals.” He also stressed the importance of professional conduct from healthcare workers, underlining that patients must always be treated with dignity and respect. Singh blamed past administrations for the hospital’s condition, noting that critical projects were delayed due to poor planning. “We inherited a backlog of neglected infrastructure. But under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, we’re accelerating reforms to fix these lapses,” he said.