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Supreme Court Seeks Delhi Response on ILBS Free Treatment
The Supreme Court is asking the Delhi government to explain whether a Delhi liver hospital is giving enough free care to poor patients.
A petition says the hospital should provide free care to at least 25 percent of poor outpatients and 10 percent of poor inpatients.
These rules come from a Supreme Court judgment issued in 2018.
The petition says the hospital received large amounts of government money.
It also points to audit findings about money, equipment and records.
Rahul Raj says his mother died after problems with her treatment at the hospital.
He alleges that his family was denied cashless care and that samples were sent elsewhere without proper consent.
The court has listed the case for another hearing on November 4.
The Supreme Court sought the Delhi government’s response to a plea seeking free treatment for economically weaker patients at ILBS.
The plea says ILBS must provide free treatment to at least 25% of EWS outpatients and 10% of EWS inpatients under a 2018 judgment.
The petitioner alleged ILBS received substantial public funding but failed to meet its free-treatment obligations.
The application cited CAG findings involving unsettled advances, unusable equipment, pending recoveries and delayed audit action.
Rahul Raj also alleged patient-rights violations linked to the treatment and death of his mother, Chunchun Devi, at ILBS.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Delhi government, ILBS and petitioner Rahul Raj are involved.
- What
- The court sought the Delhi government’s response to a plea seeking mandatory free treatment for economically weaker patients at ILBS, along with an inquiry into alleged irregularities.
- Where
- The matter concerns the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
- When
- The report says the court acted on Wednesday, September 30, and listed the plea for November 4.
- Why
- The plea alleges that ILBS has not followed the court-mandated free-treatment requirements and raises claims of financial and patient-rights violations.
Petitioner’s allegations
Institutional response pending
Free treatment
Petitioner’s allegations
The petitioner says ILBS is bound to provide free treatment to specified proportions of economically weaker OPD and IPD patients and has failed to do so.
Institutional response pending
The Delhi government’s response has been sought; the report does not provide ILBS’s or the government’s substantive reply.
Financial management
Petitioner’s allegations
The plea cites audit findings involving unsettled advances, non-serviceable equipment, pending recoveries, an unreturned corpus fund and delayed audit action.
Institutional response pending
The court has requested a response, but the report does not state how ILBS or the Delhi government contests or explains these allegations.
Patient care
Petitioner’s allegations
Rahul Raj alleges that his mother was denied CGHS cashless treatment, that samples were sent to a private entity without informed consent and that her treatment was improperly escalated.
Institutional response pending
The report provides no institutional response or judicial finding establishing these allegations.
Key facts
- Institution
- Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
- Free-treatment requirement
- At least 25% of eligible OPD patients and 10% of eligible IPD patients
- Relevant judgment
- Supreme Court judgment dated July 9, 2018
- Government funding cited
- Approximately Rs 800 crore over the years, according to the plea
- CAG grant figure
- Rs 302.49 crore in grants-in-aid during 2012-16, according to the plea
- Corpus fund cited
- The plea said the fund reached Rs 67.97 crore, including interest, by February 2017
- Next hearing
- November 4
Quotes
Rahul Raj's application
Application filed by Rahul Raj seeking enforcement of free-treatment obligations at ILBS.
“against ILBS to comply with the binding judgment of this Hon’ble Court dated July 09, 2018 …, which mandates all hospitals allotted government land at concessional rates to provide a minimum of 10 percent IPD (Inpatient Department) and 25 percent OPD (Outpatient Department) free medical treatment to economically weaker sections of society.”
theprint.in
“The CAG recommended refund of the entire Corpus Fund with interest. The said refund has not been made to this date. On the one hand, Rs. 68 crore of public money lay idling in fixed deposits at ILBS,”
theprint.in
Sources
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