On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court voiced significant apprehensions regarding the inadequate health infrastructure in hospitals across Delhi. The court criticized the government for its failure to ensure the functionality of essential facilities such as MRI and CT scan services.

During the proceedings, a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora suggested the possibility of forming a committee of doctors. This committee would be tasked with evaluating Delhi's hospitals and proposing measures to enhance the overall infrastructure situation.

Acting Chief Justice Manmohan expressed astonishment upon learning that nearly 78 percent of the radiologist positions in Delhi government hospitals were unfilled. The court was further informed that a hospital in Dwarka, with a sanctioned strength of 450 nurses, had almost 300 vacant positions. Due to the shortage of staff, the 1,200-bed hospital had to operate with only 250 beds, as revealed in the court proceedings. Despite the detailed report submitted by the Delhi government, the court remarked that while the data may paint a positive picture, the ground reality was far from ideal.

The Court observed a prominent issue in the report to be the shortage of personnel. Consequently, it included the Delhi government’s services department, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) as parties to the case and issued notices to them. Additionally, the Court directed the Principal Secretary (Health) of the Delhi government to be personally present in court. The case was scheduled for further hearing on February 5.

The Court issued the order during the hearing of two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions addressing the medical infrastructure concerns in the national capital. The Amicus curiae, Ashok Agrawal, submitted an application highlighting an incident in which a man, who had jumped out of a moving police van, faced denial of treatment from four government hospitals, ultimately leading to his death.