HC tells pvt hospitals to give free treatment to the poor

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed all private hospitals in the capital, alloted land by the Government at subsidised rates, to provide free treatment to poor patients.

The Court also made it clear to them that 10 and 20 per cent beds in the Indoor Patient's Department and Outdoor Patient's Department respectively be reserved for the poor patients.

"All hospitals are obliged to provide free treatment to the poor patients and recommendations of the Qureshi Committee are to be adhered and implemented," said a Bench comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice HR Malhotra.

The Bench warned that those hospitals, which had not complied and continue to default despite various notices from authorities, would have to part with their profits.

The Court asked the Government to take appropriate action against hospitals if they did not comply with its order.

The Centre was entitled to take any step including cancellation of their licence, the Court said.

The Bench also directed all the Government hospitals to set up referral counters so that patients could be sent to private hospitals for free treatment.