Delhi private hospitals’ apathy to poor patients is sickening

AAP’s ‘Heavy Dose’ to Private Hospitals

New Delhi, March 19:  AAP government has shown resolve to ‘cure’ private hospitals of their apathy towards poor patients.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain has administered a heavy dose on them, saying they would invite stringent case if they failed to fill at least 80 percent of their beds fixed for poor patients.

The current scenario is while occupancy for general beds in private hospitals is 100 percent; about 50 percent beds assigned for poor remain vacant.  Going by Health Minister Satyendra Jain estimate, private hospitals are saving at least Rs.75 crore every year by doing this.  In Delhi’s 41 private hospitals, there are 623 beds for free treatment of poor patients. The minister said that Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has 239 beds reserved for poor but occupancy is as low as of 10 percent.

Mr. Jain warned, ‘The government will accept no excuse for denying admission to poor patient.’

Private hospitals, established on lands given dog cheap by government on condition of reciprocating free treatment  to a specified number of poor patients, are bound to treat poor patients free but they have been denying this due to poor patients on one pretext or other. Delhi government’s intervention so far has resulted into naught.