Today(on 18th April), The Delhi High Court orders the implementation of immediate measures recommended by the expert committee led by Dr. SK Sarin within 30 days to improve medical services and healthcare quality in the capital.
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DELHI: Today(on 18th April), the Delhi High Court has directed the Chief Secretary and the Principal Health Secretary of the national capital to implement within 30 days the “immediate measures” recommended by a six-member expert committee led by Dr. SK Sarin. This directive is aimed at addressing the deficiencies in medical services and enhancing the quality of healthcare provided to the citizens.
The court emphasized that the recommendations are crucial for saving human lives and are strictly non-political, stating that-
“The urgent recommendations put forth by the Dr. SK Sarin committee of doctors are essential for preserving human lives and are devoid of political influence.”
this clarification was provided to ensure that the upcoming Lok Sabha polls do not impede the implementation of these vital healthcare improvements.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora, in a 17-page order, underscored the urgency of the matter by requiring a roadmap for implementing both intermediate and long-term measures in accordance with the timeline set by the expert committee.
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The bench ordered-
“The chief secretary and principal health secretary must outline a roadmap for implementing intermediate and long-term measures within the expert committee’s specified timeline. The principal health secretary should submit an action taken-cum-status report within four weeks.”
This directive follows the interim report and recommendations submitted by the Dr. Sarin committee, which was constituted by the court in response to a public interest litigation initiated in 2017. The litigation highlighted the critical lack of ICU beds and ventilators in government hospitals, prompting a thorough review by the expert committee.
The committee’s report identified several areas of concern, including vacant positions, shortages in critical faculty, inadequate infrastructure, and the need for improvements in emergency operation theatres, trauma services, and the referral system.
It was noted-
“The committee highlighted various deficiencies in the medical system, such as vacant positions, a shortage of critical faculty, infrastructure, medical or surgical supplies, emergency operation theaters and trauma services, and the referral system.”
Acknowledging the high court’s concerns about efficient emergency healthcare services, the committee prioritized addressing this issue and anticipated the necessary financial and administrative support from the Delhi government.
Among the recommended measures, the committee proposed a phased approach for implementation: immediate measures within 30 days, short-term measures within 31 to 90 days, intermediate measures within 91 to 365 days, and long-term measures within one to two years. Key recommendations include the redistribution of consultants, the hiring of specialists, and the proper utilization of existing equipment to optimize healthcare services.
A notable suggestion was the establishment of a centralized command and control room by the Delhi government’s IT department, designed to provide real-time information on the availability of ICU/HDU beds in hospitals.
To tackle the issue of understaffing, the committee recommended filling 15% of vacant posts in all categories within 30 days. It also advocated for contractual hiring of doctors as a way to bolster the medical workforce, suggesting-
“The committee proposed allowing the hiring of doctors on a contractual basis as academic faculty or consultants by the director or medical superintendent of the institution. It recommended that the salary and perks of contractual doctors should be at least equivalent to those of regular employees.”
Furthermore, the report proposed enhancing emergency services through the Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) and facilitating online approvals for availing DAK facilities. It emphasized the importance of providing cashless facilities at Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) rates in emergency situations, ensuring that residents of Delhi can use their Aadhaar card in all private hospitals for this purpose.
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The High Court granted the committee the liberty to file a supplementary report within four weeks and informed the Election Commission about the order, indicating the importance of uninterrupted progress on these healthcare improvements.
The court has scheduled a further hearing on the matter for May 24.
