Renew contracts to keep Delhi govt’s free lab tests going: Sisodia in letter to LG

If the contract is not greenlit, it puts the implementation of a key state government plan in jeopardy, said the officials. The LG’s office did not respond to HT’s request seeking comment on Sisodia’s letter

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday urged state lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to allow the renewal of a contract with private diagnostic firms to conduct free tests at Mohalla Clinics and state-run hospitals, adding that the current agreement lapses at the end of the year.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that if the LG does not allow the renewal, free tests will be stopped in all state-run hospitals in Delhi from January 1. (PTI)

“The contract for lab services in Delhi government hospitals and mohalla clinics ends on December 31, 2022. The new contract needs to be signed immediately to enable the new service provider to start working from January 1,” Sisodia said on Saturday in a letter, a copy of which HT has seen.

The LG’s office did not respond to HT’s request seeking comment on Sisodia’s letter.

Senior officials of Delhi government’s health department said the renewal is particularly important because chief minister Arvind Kejriwal earlier this month announced that the number of eligible free tests at Mohalla Clinics would be more than doubled, from 212 to 450.

If the contract is not greenlit, it puts the implementation of a key state government plan in jeopardy, said the officials.

“Earlier, we used to provide 212 regular blood works and screening for free in our mohalla clinics. But recently, we increased this to 450. Not getting contracts with labs that tied up with us for this scheme, will mean that thousands of poor people who could avail its benefits will be at a disadvantage,” said a senior Delhi health official.

Some of the tests that are currently being provided for free include, blood group and RH type, blood urea nitrogen, serum cholesterol, chloride, among others.

To be sure, the duration of the contract was not immediately clear, and it is not known if there have been renewal delays earlier.

“The Delhi government has completed all formalities to award the new contract. The file was sent to you on 12-12-2022 to decide whether you would like to differ from the decision of the government and refer the matter to the President under proviso to Article 239AA(4). I would urge you to kindly decide the matter soon so that the new service provider could start the work,” Sisodia further wrote in the letter.

Referring to the judgment by the Supreme Court’s constitution bench in 2018, Sisodia underlined in the letter that the LG is bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers.

The LG, however, can refer a matter to the President under proviso to Article 239AA (4) if there is a difference of opinion with the elected government.

“In my opinion, the matter related to awarding of lab services (contract) is not that rarest of rare cases which should be referred to the President. Since there is very little time left, I would be grateful if you could take a decision on the matter at the earliest,” Sisodia stated in the letter.

Later, Sisodia said that if the LG does not allow the renewal, free tests will be stopped in all state-run hospitals in Delhi from January 1.