Delhi minister tells chief secy to inspect govt hospitals, submit reports

Delhi health minister directs chief secretary to inspect hospitals and clinics daily for medicine shortage, but official denies scarcity, sparking controversy.

Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has directed chief secretary Naresh Kumar to inspect one Delhi government hospital and one Mohalla clinic during the OPD hours every day for two weeks to assess the situation of the medicine shortage and submit daily reports, the Delhi government said in a statement on Wednesday.

Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj (HT Photo)

In an April 12 order, the minister asked the chief secretary to personally interact with patients and attendants to ensure that the medicines prescribed by the doctors were being provided by pharmacists.

HT reached out to Kumar who did not respond to queries seeking comments.

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“In order to get first hand and true experience with respect to shortage and non-availability of essential medicines and consumables in the hospitals, it is directed that instead of taking shield of different rule positions, the chief secretary should personally visit and inspect one government hospital and one mohalla clinic during OPD hours (8am to 2pm) and interact with the patients and attendants in the waiting area near pharmacy counter,” the order said.

In the statement on Wednesday, Bharadwaj said that medicines were scarce in the government facilities and called the situation “distressing”, but the chief secretary has claimed otherwise.

“The chief secretary and secretary (health) have misled both the government and the legislative assembly regarding the availability of medicines and during the legislative assembly discussion, numerous MLAs vehemently refuted the claims made by the chief secretary...,” the statement added.

It also alleged that the chief secretary was evading responsibilities. “The incumbent chief secretary is coming up with a new excuse for shying away from his responsibility of overall supervision of the health department... He is constantly trying to mislead the government. It is surprising that the CS has not been informed by the secretary health about shortage of medicine at health facilities,” the communication added.