3 min readNew DelhiFeb 6, 2024 10:01 AM IST
First published on: Feb 6, 2024 at 09:59 AM IST
Expressing concern that there are only six CT scan machines in all Delhi government hospitals to cater to the city’s 3 crore population, the Delhi High Court Monday said the court wants to address structural issues affecting the health sector.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora asked Secretary (Health) Dr SB Deepak Kumar, who was in court, to submit his suggestions on the issues raised. It said, “… this court is of the view that a committee of experts needs to be constituted to suggest ways… to improve health infrastructure in Delhi hospitals. However, a detailed order shall be passed after suggestions have been received from the Health Secretary…”
On non-functioning equipment, the bench orally said, “In the last hearing, some officer had tried to portray the best bed ratio and everyone is being attended to in all respects. We don’t agree with this… when a patient who did not get admitted to four hospitals lost his life… You have six CT scan machines for a 3 crore population (of Delhi)? We, sitting in this court, know the machines aren’t working…”
Meanwhile, the court was apprised by advocate Santosh Kumar Tripathi that Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had filed a status report which says there are a lot of shortcomings including that of medicines, staff etc. He also said there is a major shortage of specialist doctors.
The report says only 1 in 4 posts of radiologists are filled — of 32 sanctioned posts, 25 are vacant. There are no paediatric surgeons in any government hospital. The report further says there is a significant shortage of paramedical staff, nurses, pharmacists, OT technicians, and lab technicians, with a 23% vacancy across these posts.
According to the minister, state government hospitals are staring at a situation where even new hospitals don’t have sufficient staff to make them operational. He pointed to newly built facilities — Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka, Burari Hospital, and Ambedkar Nagar Hospital — which have 2,400 beds but can utilise hardly 20% of their capacity due to large vacancies. “Even in existing hospitals… there is a vacancy of over 33% of the total sanctioned strength of doctors… leading to under-utilisation of existing infrastructure,” he said.
In the report, Bharadwaj said he had requested the L-G and health department officials to ensure posts of specialists and general duty medical officers are filled through the UPSC; in the interim, doctors and paramedical staff should be appointed on a contractual basis. He said the Chief Minister had sent a similar request to the L-G. Bharadwaj, in the report filed through Tripathi, also said between September and October 2023, he had convened meetings with hospitals and the staff, but despite “inviting Secretary (Health) to each meeting, he did not attend a single one.
Denying this, Kumar said, “That’s a factually wrong statement… Wherever I was not able to go, I took permission and sent my special secretary and somebody along. There have always been officials from our end accompanying the minister. I have been there in the meetings. The minutes… will indicate my presence.”
The court listed the matter for next hearing on February 12.
The report further says there is a significant shortage of paramedical staff, nurses, pharmacists, OT technicians, and lab technicians, with a 23% vacancy across these posts. 
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