Delhi’s TB hospital to get Covid centre amid government probe

On Monday, the Covid beds availability portal run by the Delhi government displayed that there were 50 beds available in the hospital, but no patients were admitted there

Despite a probe ordered by the Delhi government for “vacation and sealing” of its building citing risk to lives of patients and doctors, the directorate of hospital administration of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Friday ordered setting up of a 50-bed Covid designated facility at the Rajan Babu Institute of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis (RBIPMT) hospital.

Delhi PWD minister Satyendar Jain on January 1 ordered an inquiry into the allegations that the Rajan Babu Institute of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis was operating out of a damaged premises, which has already been declared dangerous. (HT Archive)

On Monday, the Covid beds availability portal run by the Delhi government displayed that there were 50 beds available in the hospital, but no patients were admitted there.

Delhi PWD minister Satyendar Jain on January 1 ordered an inquiry into the allegations that the hospital was operating out of a damaged premises, which has already been declared dangerous. The order came days after AAP MLA Atishi released a video of her visit to the hospital, showing dilapidated condition of a hospital block.

The North MCD shot back at the government for ordering an inquiry, saying that it was the civic body itself that declared the portion dangerous, and asserted that no patient facilities were being run from the damaged area.

Jogi Ram Jain, the standing committee chairman of the north corporation, said that the issue was being “unnecessarily politicised” by the AAP government. “The facility is now ready to serve people during these testing times, as the city faces the third wave of Covid-19,” he added.

Leader of the house Chhail Bihari Goswami said the preparations have been completed. “We can add more beds if the demand goes up. Despite its image being maligned by government, the facility will be once again used for treating Covid patients. It had also been used as Covid facility during the second wave,” he added.

A Delhi government spokesperson said the move to open Covid section in the hospital was “in bad faith and unnecessary”. “The corporation is well aware of the state of the building, and it had itself marked it dangerous as per the visuals in the public domain. Such an order seems unnecessary and could have been avoided,” the spokesperson added.

Jain said that the civic body has also operationalised 100 bed Covid facility at Hindu Rao hospital with 10 beds reserved for kids. “We are also making arrangements at Balakram hospital where provision of 300 oxygen cylinders and 100 concentrators has been made. A 50 bed Covid hospital can be made operational at short notice. A similar facility for children can be made available at Girdhari Lal maternity hospital,” he added.

While ordering the inquiry, Jain stated that it has been brought to the minister’s notice that the building of the hospital is in dilapidated state and MCD itself has declared it unsafe for human habitation and in spite of that the hospital is being run and lives are being put in danger.

A few days before the order was issued, AAP MLA Atishi made a surprise visit to the hospital and live-streamed it on social media to show the dilapidated block on the hospital premises. Leader of the Opposition in the North MCD and AAP councillor Vikas Goel had filed a complaint at the Mukherjee Nagar police station.

Goel on Monday said that no action has been taken on the complaint yet. “Some parts of hospital are dangerous. I am not aware in which portion Covid hospital will be operated,” he said.