What major reforms are planned by new Delhi govt in healthcare sector

The newly formed BJP government in Delhi is planning major reforms in the health sector. After the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report was tabled on Friday, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh vowed to improve the hospital infrastructure and management. Apart from these, a slew of reforms are slated to improve the healthcare sector in the capital city. 

Singh said that in the next six months, the healthcare infrastructure in Delhi would improve. 

Some of the major reforms include launching polyclinics offering primary and secondary daycare while also collecting patient data, recruiting doctors and healthcare professionals in order to address the shortage of manpower in the hospitals, and ensuring the availability of high-quality medicines. 

The high-quality medicines would be made available at pharmacies under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Singh told PTI. 

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the first cabinet meeting said that the scheme was blocked by the previous AAP government. The cabinet has also approved a healthcare package of Rs 10 lakh for each beneficiary of the scheme. The Centre and the Delhi government will be contributing Rs 5 lakh each. 

Several major hospitals in the city have been identified for reforms to improve the conditions. "Reforms will be implemented in phases...The government envisions a healthier life for the people of Delhi," said Singh. 

Meanwhile, the CAG report highlighted the underutilisation of operation theatres, severe staff and medicine shortages and funding gaps.

Due to a lack of permanent specialist doctors, emergency services were affected. The report stated that there were instances when surgeries were delayed by up to 10 months due to manpower shortages.  

The report also pointed to a 21 per cent staff shortage in the health and family welfare department. The ICU services also faced multiple issues, the CAG added in its report.