To ensure that Delhi doesn't face a situation like Gorakhpur in UP, where over 60 children died in a state-run hospital, the Aam Aadmi Party-led government has taken some effective preventive measures to streamline the entire health system.
The state government has decided to pay the dues to vendors associated with government hospitals withing 30 days. The decision was taken after it was noticed that some of the vendors had not been paid in 45 days. "All payments will be made to them within 30 days," Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said.
In a high-level meeting with medical superintendents, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday checked the preparations at the hospitals after the tragic Gorakhpur incident.
A helpline will also be launched soon. "Earlier, people who wanted to lodge grievances related to health services had the option of using an SMS-based platform. But now, they would be able to reach out to a call centre and get necessary details," Jain said.
Apart from this, medical heads of government hospitals have been given the authority to make purchases on their own. Earlier, small hospitals could spend only Rs 10 lakh while big hospitals were allowed to spend Rs 50 lakh to purchase equipment.
"Medical superintendents of all hospitals can now purchase equipment worth Rs 1 crore. We have given them the authority to make important purchases," Jain added. The minister also said that "90 per cent of the medicines" listed in the Delhi government inventory were available and "we are working to improve the situation further".
"Emergency services offered at our hospitals were also reviewed. We have decided that payment to our associate vendors would be made within 30 days. And, in case of any delay, the payment has to be made not beyond 45 days from the receipt of the bill," he said.
The city is battling a rising number of cases of vector-borne diseases, but the Health Minister said the city government was "well-prepared" to face any situation and people should not panic. Over 130 fresh cases of dengue have been reported during the last one week in Delhi, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease this season to nearly 500, according to the latest municipal report.
The number of people affected by malaria this year till August 12 has climbed to 385, while the figure for chikungunya stands at 283.
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