The Supreme Court has ordered a joint inspection by the Central and Delhi governments to ensure Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, operating on land with a lease agreement mandating free treatment for poor patients, is fulfilling its obligations. The court warned that if the hospital fails to provide free treatment, it may be handed over to AIIMS.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Lease Agreement Obligation:
The hospital, run by Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited (IMCL), was obligated under a 1994 lease agreement to provide free medical and other facilities to poor patients, including 30% of indoor and 40% of outdoor patients.
Supreme Court Intervention:
The Supreme Court took serious note of alleged violations of the lease agreement and ordered a joint inspection to verify if the hospital had fulfilled its commitment to provide free treatment.
Joint Inspection Team:
The Centre and Delhi government have been directed to form a joint team to inspect the hospital's records for the last five years to determine if the free treatment obligations were met.
AIIMS Takeover Threat:
The Supreme Court warned that if it finds poor patients are not being provided free treatment, it will consider handing over the hospital to AIIMS.
Background:
The case originated from a public interest litigation initiated by the All India Lawyers Union (Delhi Unit) before the Delhi High Court, which noted non-compliance with the obligations to provide free treatment.
Previous Directions:
The Delhi High Court had previously directed the hospital to ensure healthcare for poor people, including providing 200 free beds.
Hospital's Stand:
The hospital management had argued that it was a commercial venture, but the court emphasized that the hospital was obligated to provide free treatment to poor patients.
No comments:
Post a Comment