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Delhi
Private hospitals don't provide free treatment.
The delhi High Court Thursday
ruled that all private hospitals, built on subsidised government land,
must treat the poor free of cost both at// their indoor and outdoor facilities
or face contempt of court proceedings.
While holding free treatment
to the poor "obligatory" at hospitals built on subsidised land, a division
bench of Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice H.R. Malhotra said the hospitals
are obliged to provide free treatment upto 25 percent of their outdoor
patients and 10 percent of their indoor patients.
"All the private hospitals
are bound to abide by the recommendations of the Qureshi Committee recommendations
in providing absolutely free treatment to the poor patients," the bench
ruled.
Pronouncing the judgement
on a public interest petition filed by a voluntary organization, Social
Jurist, the court said, "Non-compliance of the directions would attract
contempt of court."
"Free treatment means both
consumable and non-consumable. No money should be charged from the poor
patient, who are below the poverty line," the bench said categorically
in its ruling.
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The government and delhi
Development Authority (DDA) are at liberty to initiate action against the
defaulting hospitals such as cancellation of lease deed, taking over of
the hospitals and other punitive actions, the bench said in its 110-page
order.
The DDA and the Land and
Development Office (L&DO) of delhi government had allotted 70 plots
to various trusts and societies to build hospitals, out of which only 26
are operational, the bench noted in its order.
The government had submitted
the Quereshi Committee report, which recommended forcing the private hospitals
to provide free treatment to 10 per cent of the indoor patients and 25
per cent of the outdoor patients.
The Quereshi committee was
formed following a high court order on December 13, 2006 and was mandated
to frame a policy on providing free trea |
Max Hospital, Saket,
Delhi
Delhi Private hospitals
don't provide free treatment.
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