Delhi HC Forms Committee to Improve Health Infrastructure

The Delhi High Court has formed a committee of experts to address the reformation and improvement of the health and medical infrastructure in all hospitals in Delhi governed by the Central Government, Delhi Government, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

A division bench of Justices Manmohan and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora directed the formation of a committee of experts, noting that the field of health and medicine requires specialized knowledge and experience.

They emphasized the necessity of significant investment and structural reforms in government hospitals without engaging in blame games, especially considering the years of neglect and apathy.

The committee is tasked with suggesting ways to optimize existing resources in hospitals owned by the Delhi government, central government, or MCD. It is also directed to establish a control room for providing real-time information on the availability of ICU beds and essential medical resources. Additionally, the committee is directed to devise mechanisms for strengthening peripheral hospitals, ensuring the uninterrupted supply of medicine and consumables, and filling vacant hospital posts on a contract basis until regular appointments are made.

The court’s directions stem from a suo motu PIL filed in 2017 regarding the availability of ICU beds and ventilator facilities in government hospitals, reflecting the need for medical infrastructure to keep pace with the city’s population growth.

The Delhi government suggested that the committee comprise subject matter experts with extensive experience in health infrastructure management and critical care units or a proven track record in health activism.

According to the government, proposed members for the expert committee include Ashok Aggarwal from Social Jurist, Dr. S.K. Sarin from TLBS, Dr. Deepak K. and Dr. S. Ramji from MAMC, Dr. Urmil Jhamb from MAMC & CNBC, Dr. B. L Sherwal, and Dr. R S Rautella.

A status report revealed that a significant number of sanctioned posts for non-teaching specialists and GDMOs in Delhi government hospitals remain vacant, indicating shortages in critical areas like radiology, neurosurgery, and anesthesia. Efforts have been made to expedite the recruitment process, with the Lt. Governor forwarding requests for filling vacant posts to the UPSC promptly upon receiving requests from the Minister of Health.