Covid fund misuse, drug shortage: BJP's CAG report on Delhi health system under AAP | Key points

The report underlined delays in project execution and, shortage of staff and drugs under the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government.

The second report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on 'Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services' was presented in the assembly by Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday.

CAG report on Delhi's healthcare infrastructure shows lack of facilities and shortage of staff (PTI)

The report, which was promised by the BJP within a month of forming the government following the election victory, revealed gross mismanagement and underutilisation of funds in the national capital.

The report also underlined delays in project execution and, shortage of staff and drugs under the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The report presented an audit of the government performance and policy implementation for the period 2016-17 to 2021-22.

Here are the top points on the crucial CAG report:

• According to the CAG report, the AAP-led government in Delhi 'grossly' mismanaged the Covid-19 pandemic and used only ₹582.84 crore of the total ₹787.91 crore released by the Centre.
• Highlighting the ground condition of AAP's touted Mohalla Clinics, the report stated that 21 of these facilities did not have toilets, 15 did not have a power backup, six did not have any tables for check-ups and 12 did not have accessibility for the physically disabled.
• The report revealed that the AYUSH dispensaries were also in deplorable condition, with 17 of the 49 inspected dispensaries having no power backup, 7 having no toilet, and 14 having no facility for drinking water.
• The CAG report said that funds released for expenditure for Human Resources remained heavily unutilised, health staff were underpaid and there was a lower deployment of health workers.
• A fund of ₹52 crore was allotted for human resources but only ₹30.52 crore was utilised, the report stated.
• For drugs and supplies, including PPE and masks, the Centre allotted ₹119.85 crore of which ₹83.14 crore remained unutilised, the report revealed.
• The CAG also said that despite the heavy demand for hospital beds, only 1357 beds, rather than the promised 32,000 beds, were added in the budget years from 2016-17 to 2020-2021.
• According to the report, out of the eight new hospitals under construction during the audit period, only three were completed.
• The report also highlighted a shortage of manpower in hospitals, waiting times of up to six to eight hours for surgeries, and non-functional equipment.
• According to the report, in the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), six modular/semi-modular OT, a Stone Centre, a Transplant ICU and Wards, a Kitchen, 77 private/ special rooms, 16 ICU beds, 154 general beds and Resident Doctors Hostel were not functional.
• In Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, 7 Modular OTs, a Kitchen, a Blood Bank, an Emergency, a Medical gas Pipeline, 10 CCU Beds and 200 General Beds were not operational. Bed occupancy was only 20-40 per cent.
• There was no permanent arrangement of Specialist Doctors and Senior Residents for 24-hour emergency services available in the Sushruta Trauma Centre of Lok Nayak Hospital, the report said.
• The report states that out of 27 Hospitals, ICU services were not available in 14, Blood Bank services were not available in 16, Oxygen services were not available in 8, Mortuary services were not available in 15, and Ambulance services were not available in 12 Hospitals.
• The fund under Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH) schemes remained underutilized.
• The CAG review revealed that there was a reported underutilization of funds ranging from 58.90 per cent (2016-17) to 93.03 per cent (2019-20), which indicated that the Delhi government was not implementing the health programmes adequately.

(with ANI inputs)