Page 2 - Government Hospitals

Health Ministry to consult with states on standardising healthcare costs

The SC criticised the central government for its failure to set range rates for private hospitals, leading to disparities in cost of treatment between government and private healthcare

Ayush hospitals to be spread after bed per population norm: Ministry

Considering the requirement of quality in-patient care, Ayush hospitals should be spread across the country following the bed per population norm, according to a set of new guidelines issued by the Ayush Ministry. According to the norm, one hospital bed per 5,000 population is "essential" while 1 bed per 2,000 population is "desirable". There are 3,844 Ayush hospitals in various categories across the country run by central and state governments. These hospitals together have a bed strength of 60,943. The "essential" number of beds in Ayush hospitals may be provided through the public health system such as medical colleges, district hospitals, 10-bedded, 30-bedded, 50 or more bedded Ayush hospitals, the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) for Ayush healthcare facilities stated. To achieve the "desirable" number of beds, the contribution of the private sector may also be considered while continuing to strengthen and increase bed provision at public health facilities, the guideline

Shortage of drugs at Delhi govt hospitals to be addressed: Health minister

Any shortage of medicines or other deficiencies at Delhi government-run hospitals will be addressed, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Friday. In a post on X, Bharadwaj said he held a meeting with top officials of all the hospitals under the city government to ensure the health system under the Arvind Kejriwal government runs smoothly and free medicines are available to all. In a post on X, the minister said he was informed about the availability of medicines and other issues at the hospitals. "The shortage of medicines and other deficiencies at the hospitals will be rectified," he said in his post. Earlier in the day, in another post on X, he wrote, "Held a meeting with the CDMOs of all the health departments on 27.2.2024 on Tuesday, it came to light that tests were not conducted in most of the mohalla clinics in February. "Instructions have been issued to make alternative arrangements to ensure that free tests should continue. Otherwise, the problems of poor people will

MP Cabinet approves Rs 164 cr to build super speciality hospital in Rewa

The council of ministers also took an important decision about the startup policy in the state

Haryana govt hospitals, health institutes to implement uniforms from Mar 1

All government hospitals and health institutions in Haryana will implement uniforms for its employees from March 1, Health Minister Anil Vij said on Monday. Vij chaired a meeting with officials of various associations related to the Health and Family Welfare Department on Monday. According to an official statement, Vij said that uniforms for employees in various categories will be implemented in all government hospitals and health institutions across the state from March 1. Last year, the health minister had announced a dress code for healthcare professionals, which barred funky hairstyles, makeup, long nails, denim clothing, T-shirts, skirts, among others at government healthcare centres. Vij had said that a hospital requires its employees to follow certain conduct, and a dress code is an essential component which gives the organisation a "professional touch". At Monday's meeting, the health minister expressed his desire for National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibratio

Fire breaks out at Dr Ambedkar Hospital in Mumbai, patients evacuated

According to the official, a fire call was received at 1.47 am on Sunday. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames was doused around 2.25 am

Delhi Aiims, RML declare half-day on Jan 22, emergency services to continue

The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple will take place on January 22

Central govt hospitals in Delhi to remain closed till 2:30 pm on January 22

All four Central government-run hospitals, including AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital, in Delhi will remain closed till 2:30 pm on January 22, on the occasion of the consecration ceremony at Ram temple, but critical and emergency services will be functional. According to an official notice by AIIMS, Delhi, the central government has declared January 22 as a half-day holiday till 2.30 pm. It is notified for information of all the employees that the institute will remain half day closed till 2.30 pm on January 22. All Chiefs of Centres, Heads of the Departments, Units and Branch Officers are requested to bring this to the notice of all staff working under them, it said. "...all critical clinical services shall remain functional," it said. All appointments are being rescheduled and critical clinical services will remain functional, an AIIMS official said. If any patients come, we will try to accommodate them. Evening OPDs will be functioning, the official said. According to a circular

Delhi govt issues show-cause notice to LNJP for not admitting injured man

The Delhi government has issued a show-cause notice to the LNJP Hospital authorities asking them to terminate the services of a senior resident doctor, days after the death of an injured man who was allegedly denied admission at four different hospitals. A similar show-cause notice was issued by the health and family welfare department of the Delhi government to the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital authorities asking them to terminate the services of a senior resident doctor. Pramod, 47, who was arrested after a 21-year-old woman alleged that he had molested her in an inebriated state, died of the injuries he suffered after jumping out of a moving police van on January 3, a senior officer said. He was allegedly denied admission by four government hospitals, including three Delhi government-run facilities, due to unavailability of beds or equipment, a senior officer had said earlier. Officials said a meeting was also held with medical directors and medical superintendents of all Delh

Hospitals, blood banks can only charge processing fees for blood: Govt

Hospitals and blood banks can now only charge processing fees for blood as the apex drug regulator has decided to do away with all other fees to check the practice of overcharging. In a communication to all states and UT drugs controllers cum licensing authorities, the Drugs Controller Genral of India (DCGI) stated that the decision was taken in view of the opinion that "blood is not for sale". Referring to the 62nd meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee held on September 26, 2023, the DCGI in the letter on December 26 said, "It was recommended with respect of agenda No. 18 of ATR point 3, for overcharging of blood, it was opined that blood is not for sale, it is only for supply and only processing cost may be charged by the blood centre." The revised guidelines stipulate that only processing fees can be charged for blood or blood components which ranges between Rs 250 to 1,550 for blood or blood components. The DCGI has asked states and UT drug controllers to direct all blood

BJP pulls up Rajasthan govt hospital for prescribing medicines from market

Using abusive language, a BJP MLA pulled up a doctor at a government hospital for allegedly prescribing medicines from the market for a commission, according to a video on social media. Laldulal Pitaliya -- the BJP MLA from the Sahara constituency in Rajasthan's Bhilwara -- could also be heard raising objection over a photograph of a deity that was removed from a wall for paint work a month ago not being reinstalled. He purportedly asked the doctor if he did not want Sanatan Dharma. Pitaliya could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts. The first-time MLA arrived at the satellite hospital in Gangapur town on Tuesday for a surprise visit. He could be heard in the video rebuking the doctor, saying poor people complained to him that he was prescribing medicines from outside. Most commonly-used medicines are provided for free by hospitals in the state. "Have some shame. God will not spare you. Your future generations will be lame (and disabled) if you cheat a poor pers

Another drug from hospitals found to be of sub-standard quality: Delhi LG

Days after Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena referred a matter pertaining to drugs failing quality standard tests to CBI, Raj Niwas officials on Wednesday reported another medicine used for treating seizures and epilepsy turning out to be spurious. Saxena had last week recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged supply of drugs that "failed quality standard tests" and have the "potential of endangering lives." According to officials, another drug sample taken from Delhi government hospitals was failed by the RDTL, or Regional Drug Testing Laboratory, in Chandigarh. This time an anti-epilepsy drug called 'Sodium Valproate' was found to be falling short of the standards. The report was issued by a government analyst on December 22, an official said. The drugs that have been found to be of "sub-standard quality" included Cephalexin, a critical life-saving antibiotic used for the treatment of lung and urinary tract infections, according to officials. They also included Dexamethasone, a ste

Surprise inspection of Delhi hospitals begins as new Covid variant surges

Covid cases registered a rise in the country towards the end of 2023 with sub-variant JN.1 on the radar while the Delhi government planned to step up genome surveillance to tackle the issue going forward. As the new threat looms on the horizon with an uptick in Covid cases amid the festive season, doctors in Delhi have advised people to wear masks, avoid gatherings and maintain a healthy diet. The devastating third wave of the Covid pandemic driven by the Omicron variant had resulted in a record surge of infections in Delhi in early 2022, and the second one driven by the Delta variant had wreaked havoc in the national capital, as at other places, in 2021. The fresh threat, as there was one early 2023, has only proven many experts right that "Covid is not out of the world yet". Both the Centre and the Delhi government are alert and have planned a way forward to tackle any situation. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on December 20 told PTI that oxygen cylinders, ventilator be

Bharadwaj demands action against health secy over 'fake' medicine row

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday demanded action against the health secretary over the alleged supply of sub-standard quality drugs to city government-run hospitals, an issue into which the Lt Governor has recommended a CBI inquiry. Demanding that Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena take action against the secretary as well as a former director of the Directorate of Health Services-Delhi (DHS), he told a press conference that in "July-August some medicines' samples were sent for testing, and out of 43 samples, five were found not to be meeting standards". "I learnt about it after one and a half months during discussions about the matter," said Bharadwaj, who was allotted the health portfolio in March. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was made the health minister after Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain resigned from the Cabinet and their portfolios were redistributed. "Even consumables such as bandages were found not to be meeting quality standards," Bharadwaj said. T

Non-standard drugs supply in Delhi govt hospitals: L-G calls for CBI probe

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged procurement and supply of "non-standard" drugs in Delhi government hospitals, Raj Niwas officials said on Saturday. When asked about the matter, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai told PTI that the government will come out with a detailed response. He also alleged that there is an attempt to obstruct the work of the government through such inquiries. The Raj Niwas officials said that in a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, the Lt Governor mentioned that it is concerning that these medicines are being given to lakhs of patients. "It is with a sense of deep concern that I have perused the file. I am, to say the least, anguished at the fact that lakhs of hapless people and patients are being supplied fake drugs that have failed quality standard tests," read the note to Kumar. These drugs, procured by the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) under the Delhi Health Services (DHS), were supplied to Delhi

Govt hospitals set up transgender centers in push for equitable healthcare

Doctors hail move, activists suggest more needs to be done

CM directs Health Minister Bharadwaj to visit govt hospital in east Delhi

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj to visit a city government-run hospital in east Delhi and take corrective steps to improve amenities at the facility. The chief minister shared this in a post on X, in response to a post made late Tuesday night by a user, alleging insanitary conditions in the toilets of GTB Hospital. "Delhi's sick hospital -- toilets are overflowing, full of filth, this is how the hospitals of Delhi are, the picture is of the largest GTB hospital across Yamuna, where patients, attendants and staff have to pass by a toilet with a cloth over their mouths. The cleanliness system in the hospital is zero," the user alleged in the post along with a photograph. Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the post on X. "I have directed the health minister to visit the hospital today along with senior officials and take corrective steps," he wrote.

RML Hospital in Delhi to open special pollution OPD amid worsening levels

"We have decided that a special OPD will run for pollution-related illnesses where comprehensive care can be given to the patients and will include a multi-departmental clinic"

Aiims Delhi server down for hours, hospital says shut for maintenance

The server of AIIMS Delhi was reportedly down from Wednesday afternoon till Thursday noon, causing inconvenience to doctors and patients at the hospital's emergency and outpatient departments. The AIIMS administration clarified on Thursday that "the AIIMS server and e-Hospital were shut down for maintenance". Doctors said they faced difficulties in accessing files and medical reports while the patients faced inconvenience in getting registrations and tests done. "The functioning of the emergency department and OPDs was disrupted as the server was down. The registration of new patients could not be done, reports of investigations could not be downloaded and investigations could not be carried as bar code was not being generated," a senior doctor claimed. He further said that interventions and surgeries that are dependent on blood reports and other diagnoses had to be postponed. The labs revived online services by Thursday noon. A patient who visited the hospital while the server wa

Just 3 nurses to take care of 60 babies at Nanded govt hospital: Congress

More than 60 infants were admitted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the government hospital in Maharashtra's Nanded city where 31 patients died in a span of 48 hours a few days ago, but there were only three nurses to take care of the babies, Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said on Tuesday. One warmer was used to treat three babies at a time and manpower at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital's NICU was of just three nurses, said the MLA from Bhokar in Nanded district. Chavan was speaking to the media after attending a party meeting here in central Maharashtra. "When I visited the (NICU) ward after the incident (of 24 patients dying in a single day and 7 more in the next 24 hours) in the government-run hospital (in Nanded), I saw one warmer being used to treat three infants at a time. Just three nurses were taking care of more than 60 infants in the ward," he said. Chavan said the hospital, named after his late ...