A recent performance audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has highlighted significant shortcomings in Delhi’s public healthcare system. The report, covering the period from 2016-17 to 2021-22, reveals critical issues in staffing, infrastructure, financial management, and service delivery. Here are the key findings:
- Staff Shortages:
Health and Family Welfare Department: A 21% staff shortage was noted, with teaching specialists facing a 30% deficit, non-teaching specialists at 28%, and medical officers at 9%. Paramedical staff shortages were more severe, at 38%.
National Health Mission (NHM): The NHM schemes suffered from a 36% staffing deficit, impacting service delivery.
Infrastructure Deficiencies:
- Hospital Beds: Despite plans to add 10,000 beds, only 1,357 were added between 2016 and 2021. Fifteen land plots acquired for new hospitals remained unused for up to 15 years.
- Facility Utilization: Many modular operation theaters in major hospitals like Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH) and Janakpuri Super Specialty Hospital (JSSH) were non-operational due to manpower shortages.
Financial Mismanagement:
- Unutilized Funds: The Delhi State Health Mission (DSHM) failed to use Rs 510.71 crore allocated under the National Health Mission (NHM), leaving funds stagnant in bank accounts.
Procurement Issues: Hospitals often sourced essential medicines from local chemists due to inefficiencies in the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), leading to instances of substandard drugs.
Regulatory Failures:
- Drugs Control Department: A 63% shortage in key positions like Drug Inspectors hindered quality control in pharmaceutical services.
- Accreditation Issues: Many government hospitals lacked accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH), affecting quality assurance.
Impact on Healthcare Services
- High patient loads resulted in consultation times as low as five minutes. Surgical wait times were extended, with delays of up to eight months for specialized surgeries.
- Private Hospitals: Weak monitoring led to inadequate free treatment for economically weaker sections (EWS) as mandated.
The CAG report underscores the urgent need for reforms in Delhi’s healthcare system. Addressing these systemic inefficiencies is crucial to improve healthcare accessibility and quality in the city.
