Govt officer to oversee treatment of poor patients

After the Delhi High Court criticised Apollo hospital for defying court orders by not treating the poor, the Delhi government has now appointed a nodal officer to ensure such patients are not turned away, reports HT Correspondent.

After the Delhi High Court criticised Apollo hospital for defying court orders by not treating the poor, the Delhi government has now appointed a nodal officer to ensure such patients are not turned away.

HT Image

Dr Ashok Rana, who was part of the High Court-appointed monitoring committee to ensure the poor were being treated in private hospitals as per the High Court guidelines, will now have an office at Apollo.

Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia said Dr Rana had been authorised on behalf of the Delhi Government to see poor patients got treatment at Apollo.

“He has been allotted room number 1001 in Apollo Hospital. We have asked him to report if the hospital refuses to treat poor patients and stringent action will be taken,” said Walia.

Dr. Walia said the beneficiaries included group-C and D staff (sweepers, laboratory technicians, nurses, etc) of government departments provided they are referred, besides all BPL cardholders.

The Delhi Health Minister, Delhi principal secretary, director health services and medical superintendents of all Delhi government’s hospitals can refer the free cases to private hospitals, including Apollo.