HC seeks Delhi govt's reply on PIL over maintenance of records on malpractices by private nursing homes, hospitals

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought reply of the Delhi government on a PIL alleging that Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has no mechanism to maintain records of the public complaints and grievance against malpractices such as overcharging by the private nursing homes and hospitals.

The petition also highlights that the DGHS does not conduct regular audits of the health services. It states that the prices charged neither have any direction nor notification on the uniformity and harmonisation of charges and services charged by the private nursing homes and hospitals to the patients.

The petitioner further states that through an RTI application they sought information from the Director, DGHS, whether any complaint and grievance mechanism exist or any regular audits of the health services and the prices charged by the nursing homes and hospitals in the national capital are done.

According to the petition, the reply received from DGHS disclosed that there is no such record maintained by it.

It is also surprising and shocking to know that there is no provision for conducting audit by the Delhi Government, petition claims.

Court of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani will next hear the matter on May 14.