Delhi LG clears diagnostic test contracts, but underlines concerns

The proposal was sent by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also has the health portfolio, seeking to ensure continuity in how key patients tests are carried out. Since 2019, Delhi’s public healthcare facilities have been outsourcing these functions

Delhi’s lieutenant governor VK Saxena signed off on the government’s decision to continue with the practice of outsourcing diagnostic and laboratory services in government hospitals and healthcare facilities, according to documents seen by HT, but with strong remarks, including one in which he said he “had no choice”.

Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. (ANI)

The proposal was sent by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also has the health portfolio, seeking to ensure continuity in how key patients tests are carried out. Since 2019, Delhi’s public healthcare facilities have been outsourcing these functions.

The LG, however, noted that the practice “is prima facie admission that government hospitals/facilities have failed on the parameters of something as basic as pathological and diagnostic testing,” according to documents seen by HT.

The LG advised the AAP government to strengthen public health facilities, “rather than crippling them by resorting to private outsourcing.”

The observations are based on a letter Sisodia wrote to the LG on December 24, urging him to allow for the arrangement to be extended since the current agreement lapses on December 31.

This is the latest part in a running feud between the two sides. The LG ordered multiple probes against the AAP government, including one over the excise policy in which deputy CM Manish Sisodia has been made an accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation. AAP has dismissed all the allegations, but the relations have been frayed.

No response was available from Delhi government on the file noting of the LG on Wednesday.

The LG, in his file noting, asked the government to get an impact assessment study done on the quality of laboratory tests carried out in the last three years.

The LG also asked to ensure a system of online registration of patients as well as Aadhaar-based/biometric tracking of patients is setup within three months; and the extension of the outsourcing should be evaluated after a period of six months to ascertain its efficacy, quality and genuineness and whether it is proving to be detrimental to the existing government diagnostic mechanism, the documents, seen by HT, said.

Delhi government provides various blood works, pathological and diagnostic services in various state-run healthcare facilities. Recently, the government said it increased the types of screening covered from 212 to 450.

The LG asked why, when the decision to extend the outsourcing was taken in July, was the file sent so late for approval. “Even as the proposal was being examined in the Secretariat, the deputy CM chose to write a letter to me on December 24 within 10 working days of sending the file and shared it in public domain even before the letter could reach the Secretariat, in an obvious attempt to unconstitutionally force a decision,” the LG alleged.