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Delhi Cancer Hospital: Machines Idle, Patients Suffer
31 Aug
Summary
- Patients face high costs as hospital refers them for tests and medicines.
- Expensive diagnostic equipment lies unused due to lack of staff and maintenance.
- Over 40% of sanctioned posts are vacant, impacting patient care.
- Health Minister promises to fix gaps with clear timelines for repairs.
At Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), patients like Sabra are forced to pay significant amounts for medicines and tests, costs they expected the government hospital to cover. Despite DSCI boasting "ultra-modern diagnostic facilities," crucial equipment, including a PET-CT scanner and a cyclotron, remains unused. This is primarily due to a lack of qualified manpower and maintenance, with over 40% of its 814 sanctioned posts vacant.
These underutilized resources and staff shortages have led to patients being referred to private diagnostic centers, increasing their financial burden. The situation is not isolated to DSCI; a recent audit revealed similar issues across Delhi's government hospitals. The hospital's own advanced machinery, including a cyclotron bought for $6.3 million, has been non-operational since 2018 due to staffing gaps.
Construction on new facilities has also halted, and previously functional units, like a chemotherapy day-care unit, are abandoned due to lack of supplies and manpower. The Delhi Health Minister has acknowledged these problems, promising swift action to repair equipment and fast-track recruitment, particularly in critical departments like nuclear medicine and radiotherapy, aiming to restore DSCI's full capacity.
