Home / Health / Delhi Court Gives 3-Month Deadline on Cancer Hospital's Free Treatment Exemption
Delhi Court Gives 3-Month Deadline on Cancer Hospital's Free Treatment Exemption
30 Jul
Summary
- Delhi High Court gives 3 months to decide if 2018 Supreme Court ruling applies to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital
- Hospital claims it is not covered by the ruling on free treatment for economically weaker patients
- Hospital now providing free care to 25% OPD and 10% IPD EWS patients since March 2023
In a recent development, the Delhi High Court has given the Delhi government 3 months to determine if a landmark 2018 Supreme Court verdict applies to the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital. The apex court had previously ruled that private hospitals in the city, which were allotted land at subsidized rates, must provide free treatment to 25% of their outpatient department (OPD) and 10% of their inpatient department (IPD) patients from the economically weaker section (EWS) category.
However, the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital had argued that it was not covered by this Supreme Court ruling, as it was not similarly placed as other private hospitals. The hospital claimed it was not allotted land at subsidized rates. Despite this, the hospital has now informed the high court that since March 1, 2023, it has extended free treatment to 25% of its OPD and 10% of its IPD patients from the EWS category.
The high court was hearing a petition seeking action against the cancer hospital for not providing free treatment as per the mandate issued by the Supreme Court. The petitioner alleged that the hospital had made unwarranted profits during the last two decades by not providing all free treatment to EWS patients and should pay such an amount to the government. The hospital, on the other hand, maintained that it was not covered by the 2018 Supreme Court verdict.
