Delhi HC Urges Centre to Improve Govt Hospitals Infrastructure

The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to take measures to enhance the infrastructure in its hospitals located in the national capital.

During a hearing addressing concerns about the safety of medical professionals and the condition of healthcare institutions, the Centre’s lawyer informed the court that it has implemented “all precautions and steps” for its four hospitals in Delhi, including AIIMS.

The bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, acknowledged the efforts but remarked, “There is always a chance of improvement.”

The court directed the Union of India to conduct an evaluation focusing on the enhancement of infrastructure in its own hospitals. The bench, including Justice Mini Pushkarna, further instructed the Delhi government to submit a report on the actions taken in response to a 2019 expert committee report concerning its hospitals.

The counsel for the Delhi government conveyed that the expert committee’s report, addressing issues related to hospital administration and human resource management, had not yet been reviewed by the high court. The court directed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) to file an action taken report, explicitly stating the feasibility of implementing the recommendations from the expert committee report.

In 2017, the high court had taken notice of a news report highlighting the rising incidents of violent attacks on government doctors by patients and their relatives. It had requested the Centre and the AAP government to provide information on the measures taken in response to this issue.

Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, serving as the amicus curiae to assist the court, noted that the root cause of threats to medical professionals was the shortage of doctors and insufficient infrastructural support in hospitals. He pointed out that the Delhi government, during the proceedings, enacted a law for the protection of doctors but criticized it for worsening the situation by diluting the penal provisions under the Indian Penal Code.

Concerns about alleged vacancies in government hospitals were also raised during the hearing. The court proposed convening a meeting of all stakeholders, including officials from the Delhi government and Centre, to address issues related to hospital administration.

The court asked both the Delhi government and the Centre to submit their responses to the matter, with the next listing scheduled for March 13, 2024.