Govt reserves 50% beds for Delhiites at GB Pant Hospital

The decision was prompted by the recent allegations against private hospitals... It is the responsibility of the Delhi government to provide health services to its residents.

DR KIRTI BHUSHAN, Delhi’s director general of health services

NEW DELHI : The Delhi government has decided to reserve 50% of the in-patient beds at Govind Ballabh Pant hospital, its only fully-functioning super-speciality hospital, for Delhi residents. The order is effective immediately.

“This order has been given by the secretary (health) only yesterday (Wednesday). It has been observed, in the last 15 years, the data shows that 60% to 70% of indoor admissions to the hospital are from neighbouring states,” said Dr Kirti Bhushan, Delhi’s director general of health services.

“This leads to resentment in Delhi residents who have to wait for long periods for surgeries. Many move to private hospitals for treatment too,” said Dr Bhushan.

Patients receive a waiting date of six to nine months for various surgeries at the hospital, according to a doctor at the hospital.

The move comes amid allegations of negligence and overcharging by private hospitals.

“The decision was prompted by the recent allegations against private hospitals,” Dr Bhushan said.

“When the government of Delhi is spending so much on the health sector, after collecting revenue from the people, I think it is the responsibility of the Delhi government to provide services to its residents,” he said.

The 714-bed hospital in central Delhi accepts only patients of three specialities – neurology and neurosurgery, cardiology and cardio-vascular surgery, and gastrology and gastric surgery – who have been referred from other hospitals.

Patients from 32 other hospitals run by the Delhi government and several other private hospitals in the city are referred to GB Pant Hospital.

The Delhi government has two other superspeciality hospitals — Janakpuri superspeciality hospital and Rajiv Gandhi superspeciality hospital — however, for the lack of manpower these are yet to start functioning fully. “Once, these hospitals become functional, we may remove restrictions at GB Pant,” said Dr Bhushan.