Matter of Great Concern – EWS-Free-Bed occupancy gone down from 70% to 50% in identified private hospitals - EWS Monitoring Committee Member writes to Delhi PS(Health)

To

Shri S.C.L. Das

Principal Secretary (Health)

Government of NCT of Delhi

Secretariat, I.P. Estate,

New Delhi-110002

24.10.2014

Sub: Matter of Great Concern – EWS-Free-Bed occupancy gone down from 70% to 50% in identified private hospitals

Dear Sir, 

 During the last few weeks, it has been noticed that the percentage of EWS-Free-Bed occupancy in the 44 identified private hospitals has gone done from 70% to 50%. On 17.09.2014, the occupancy was 72% and thereafter, it started going down almost every day and as today, the occupancy is 52%. 

·      -In Max Super Specialty Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, out of 15 free-beds, 10 are vacant.

·      -In Dharmshila Hospital & Research Centre, out of 20 free-beds, 18 are vacant.

·      -In Max Balaji Hospital, Patparganj, out of 40 free-beds, 31 are vacant.

·      -In Batra Hospital, out of 50 free-beds, 39 are vacant.

·   -In Flt. Lt. Rajan Dall Hospital (Fortis) Hospital, Vasant Kunj, out of 15 free-beds, 12 are vacant.

·        -In Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, out of 11 free-beds, 10 are vacant.

·         -In Max Devki Devi Heart & Vascular Institute, Saket, out of 30 free-beds, 25 are vacant.

·         -In Bensups Hospital, out of 14 free-beds, 12 are vacant.

·         -In Rockland Hospital, Dwarka, out of 10 free-beds, 10 are vacant.

·        -  In R.B. Seth Jessa Ram Hospital, out of 9 free-beds, 9 are vacant.

·        - In Jeevan Anmol Hospital, out of 5 free-beds, 4 are vacant.

·         -In Shanti Mukund Hospital, out of 14 free-beds, 11 are vacant. 

One of the major reasons for such unfortunate situation seems to be that the Government Hospitals are not referring many poor patients to these private hospitals though they themselves are facing overcrowding of poor patients. The other reasons may be due to EWS patients not asserting their rights or lack of awareness among them. The Delhi Government has stopped advertising free-beds facilities in the identified private hospitals through TV Channels and FMs which might also have contributed to this situation. Needless to say, barring few hospitals, all the hospitals are reluctant to provide free treatment to EWS patients.

Kindly look into this matter on urgent basis and do the needful.

With regards,

Ashok Agarwal, Advocate

Member, Delhi High Court constituted EWS-Patients Monitoring Committee

M-09811101923