Govt to build 11 new hospitals in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal

The Delhi chief minister said that the state government has not only improved the quality of government hospitals but also made all services free of cost

The Delhi government aims to strengthen its health care infrastructure with the construction of 11 new hospitals in the Capital, besides expanding its existing hospitals, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday. The announcement at the inauguration of a new Out Patient Department (OPD) block at Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital in Civil Lines.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal interacts with patients during the inauguration of the newly-built OPD Block of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital at Civil Lines on Saturday. (HT Photo)

“I am delighted that a new block has been constructed. The older block lacked the required space and other facilities. The new block is spacious, centrally air conditioned with availability of rooms for specialists. I interacted with a few patients and asked them about their well-being. They told me they travelled a long distance for better medical facilities. Earlier, doctors and patients had to face hardships in OPD for treatment due to lack of space in the older block. Now, I believe that the new block will help in accommodating more patients,” Kejriwal said.

Built at an approximate cost of ₹.22.8 crore over a period of one year, the new block has floors with 25 consultation rooms.

The CM said that the state government has not only improved the quality of government hospitals but also made all healthcare services, including medicines and tests, free of cost, and is working to bring the Capital’s health system at par with international standards and the World Health Organisation’s parameters.

Kejriwal said that his Aam Aadmi Party government further plans to enhance healthcare services with the addition of nearly 16,000 beds across state-run hospitals, including at least 35 existing ones and the upcoming hospitals.

“Until now, there used to be 10,000 beds in government hospitals, including Delhi government hospitals. Now, 11 new hospitals are being constructed and the existing hospitals are getting revamped. This will lead to the availability of an additional 16,000 new beds in Delhi government hospitals alone. We also need to make their management more efficient so that all the available machines, doctors, and facilities can be utilised at the optimum levels,” Kejriwal said.

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, questioned CM’s claims on healthcare services, which were under immense stress during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In the past nine years, the Kejriwal government has not built a single new hospital. The AAP government has been unable to complete multiple hospitals approved before 2013. People should remember the dire situation during the pandemic in Delhi when there was a severe shortage of hospital beds, doctors, medicines, ambulances, and oxygen and the Centre had to step in because the state government failed to provide even basic healthcare services. In several Delhi government hospitals, it is a common site to see two patients lying on one bed, patients being given treatment while they are lying on the floor of the hospitals. I challenge the CM to take the Opposition and the media on a joint inspection of any Delhi government hospital,” said Bidhuri.