Health infrastructure is dismal: Delhi High Court miffed with Health Minister and LG

The Delhi High Court recently expressed its displeasure over the bickering between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over the chaos in Delhi’s government hospitals..A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora noted that while the health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj was blaming the officials for the sad state of affairs, the Administrator of Delhi (LG) was blaming the political establishment.There is an apparent lack of consensus between the Health Minister and the bureaucrats because of which the quality of health infrastructure in Delhi continues to be dismal and the common man is the ultimate victim, the Bench said.“It is pertinent to mention that this Court had summoned the Health Secretary, GNCTD and the Health Minister, GNCTD some months back in another contempt proceeding and orally suggested to them that they should work together amicably in a bid to improve the quality of health care of the citizens of Delhi. However, it seems that the said suggestion has not found favour with them,” the Court noted.The Bench ordered LG to hold a meeting within a week with the Health Minister and Chief Secretary, Secretary Health, Secretary Services, and Secretary Administrative reforms for creating 38,000 additional posts of doctors, specialists and paramedics in the upcoming 24 hospitals in Delhi..The order was passed in a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition related to improving Delhi’s health infrastructure.The Court had constituted an expert committee under Dr. SK Sarin to suggest ways to improve the health infrastructure in the national capital. The committee furnished a detailed report to the Court.After furnishing the report, Dr. Sarin wrote to the High Court that four doctors wanted to recuse themselves. The letter stated that it could be challenging for them when it comes to the implementation of the report as they work under the Delhi government..The Court said that the recusal of the four senior doctors showed that all was not well in the health department.The Bench then proceeded to task the Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to ensure the implementation of the reports furnished by Dr. Sarin committee.“Chief Secretary GNCTD, Finance Secretary of GNCTD and Principal Secretary (Home), GNCTD are directed to ensure that any decision taken by the Director AIIMS Delhi is implemented forthwith including any decision to recruit paramedics or staff or Doctors on contractual basis till permanent recruitment through DSSSB or UPSC takes place,” the order said. .Advocate Ashok Agarwal appeared as amicus curiae. He was assisted by advocates Kumar Utkarsh, Ashna Khan and Manoj Kumar. Union of India was represented by Central Government Standing Counsel Kirtiman Singh along with advocates Waize Ali Noor, Ranjeev Khatana, Varun Pratap Singh and Maulik Khurrana. Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra along with advocates Satyakam, Chaitanya Gosain and Pradyut Kashyap represented the Delhi government. Advocate Siddharth Panda represented the expert committee. .[Read Order]