In the last hearing, the apex court pulled up the hospitals for not fulfilling their obligation of free treatment to the poor as promised when the government granted land at subsidised rate.
The Supreme Court Monday directed the Delhi government and private hospitals, which were given subsidised land, to draw modalities to give free treatment to economically weaker section of society.
A bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and AK Patnaik asked the hospitals and the government to work out a comprehensive scheme to treat the poor — 25% outdoor and 10% indoor — free of cost.
In the meantime, the court said patients from "overcrowded" government hospitals be referred to such private hospitals which would provide free treatment.
The court was hearing petitions filed by the hospitals challenging a Delhi high court order directing them to provide free treatment to the poor.
In the last hearing, the apex court, which had stayed the high court's order, pulled up the hospitals for not fulfilling their obligation of free treatment to the poor as promised when the government granted land at subsidised rate.
The Delhi High Court in 2007 ruled, all private hospitals that were granted public land at cheaper rates would provide free treatment to poor patients at the rate of 10% in the Indoor Patient Department (IPD) and 25% in the Out-door Patient Department (OPD) of their total respective treatment capacities.
"They (poor patients) will be provided free admission, bed, medication, treatment, surgery facility, nursing facility and consumables and non-consumables. The hospitals charging any money from such patients, shall be liable to be proceeded against in accordance with the law. Besides that, this would be treated as violation of the orders of the court", the High Court had said.
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