More hospitals likely to face govt's action for refusing treatment to poor

The Delhi government is likely to pull up 15 more hospitals for denying treatment to the poor under the economically weaker section (EWS) category.

The government had recently asked five hospitals to deposit over Rs 600 crore for refusing treatment to the poor even though these hospitals were given land at concessional rates.
The Health Department is now planning to take out a notification against 15 more hospitals.

However, the notification will first be put before the EWS special committee formed by the High Court. “The final decision will be reviewed by the special committee. The department is likely to take out a notification against 15 more hospitals which have not fulfilled the quota of providing 10 per cent IPD (indoor patient department) and 25 per cent OPD (outdoor patient department) to poor patients under the EWS category,” said Dr Hem Prakash, Additional Director, EWS at Health Department.

Concessional rates

“These hospitals were also given lands at concessional rates and are supposed to fulfil this condition. The hospitals were earlier sent notices to tell the department why they were not fulfilling the conditions,” said Dr Prakash.

“The hospitals will be fined depending on the decision of the committee,” said Dr Prakash.
The 15 hospitals include Batra Hospital, Amar Jyoti Hospital, National Heart Institute, Jaipur Golden Hospital, VIMHANS, Jeevan Anmol Hospital, Delhi ENT Hospital, Bimla Devi Hospital, Deepak Memorial Hospital and Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Primus Hospital, Guru Harkishan Hospital, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj, said Dr Prakash.

He said the hospitals were making profit by not treating the poor. The hospitals which were sent notices earlier this month are Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Shanti Mukund Hospital, Dharamshila Cancer Hospital, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.

“Hospitals which have been given land at low rates are bound by law to provide treatment to poor patients. However, several of these are not fulfilling even 50 per cent of the total quota for the EWS patients,” said Ashok Agarwal, member, EWS monitoring committee.
Turning away the poor is an offence and the hospitals which are not treating the poor should be sent out a strong message,” Agarwal added.