Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has conducted a surprise inspection at GTB, Jag Pravesh Chandra and Aruna Asaf Ali Hospitals.
The Delhi Health Minister, who conducted the surprise inspection on Tuesday night, instructed the hospital administration to avoid the practice of referring patients directly to big hospitals for treatment and examination.
Bhardwaj said: “Instead of referring patients directly to big hospitals, under the Delhi Arogya Kosh, the hospital administration should try to provide treatment facilities in small hospitals at their own level to avoid overcrowding. Small hospitals in Delhi can also send patients to private labs for MRI, CT scan, radionuclide scan and other tests. This facility is available free of cost under the DAK.”
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered that economically weak families should not have to wander from door to door for treatment and medical tests, the Delhi Health Minister said.
During the inspection, the Delhi Health Minister instructed that immediate relief should be provided to patients in medico-legal cases as soon as the legal process is completed.
Also, Bhardwaj directed the hospital administration to remove the clutter and provide affordable and quality health care to the patients and improve cleanliness. Along with this, instructions were given to provide affordable and quality health facilities to the patients.
Bhardwaj visited various wards of the hospitals. He met the patients undergoing treatment, inquired about their health and checked the arrangements. Expressing displeasure over the absence of several senior doctors in the hospitals, he instructed that appropriate action be taken against them.
Bedsheets were not changed in many wards in the hospitals. He said that there is a possibility of infection in patients due to lying on dirty bed sheets. The hospital administration was directed to change the bedsheets of the patients on priority basis.
The Delhi Health Minister inquired about the availability of X-ray machines and other equipment in the hospitals. He instructed the administration to ensure immediate fixing of the non-functional monitor machines.
He further said if patients coming to hospitals in the evening require ultrasound, CT-scan and other medical tests, then instead of referring patients directly to big hospitals under the Delhi Arogya Kosh, the hospital administration should provide treatment facilities to the patients in small hospitals at their own level as well. According to the procedure, patients should be referred to nearby small hospitals or labs for medical tests or treatment, so that more and more patients can take advantage of the facility.
During the visit, the Delhi Health Minister also checked all the medical reports related to the medico-legal cases so as to ensure that everything is proceeding in an orderly manner.
“Patients cannot be admitted directly in medicolegal cases. In such a situation, as soon as the legal process in medico-legal cases is completed, the hospital administration should provide immediate relief to the patients,” he added.
Bhardwaj also said: “Health is a priority area for the Delhi government. Therefore, any kind of negligence will not be tolerated in providing health facilities to the people. There should be no compromise on the quality of food provided to patients in hospitals.”
“Our aim is to make Delhi government hospitals one of the best in the whole country. Following the instructions of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the treatment facility is being made more accessible in the hospitals of Delhi. Besides, the existing hospitals are being air-conditioned by making necessary changes.”