Indraprastha Apollo denies free treatment to poor, others follow suit
20 Aug 2014 4:33 AM IST
One by one five hospitals — St Stephens Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Moolchand Hospital, Rockland Qutub and Dr B L Kapoor Hospital have followed this route to debar poor from free treatment.
The 15 acre land on which the Apollo hospital in situated has a minimum value of Rs 645.9 croe as per present circle rate was provided by Delhi government on lease rent of Re 1 per month in 1994.
Besides, the government had also provided Rs 23.83 crore as its contribution to 26 percent equity to construct the hospital and Rs 14.83 crore as compensation for delayed delivery of land. As per the agreement the hospital was to provide free treatment to patients on one third of it’s beds and 40% of OPD without any discrimination after it becomes fully operational which means at lest 65 percent of the 600 beds are occupied for minimum six months.
The Apollo group was selected from a list of 25 hospital groups which had shown interest to run a hospital on ‘No Profit, No Loss’ basis in response to a flagship project of the government in 1986 to utilise Player’s Building, now Delhi Secretariat.
The hospital turned down several requests of Delhi government to honour the agreement of free treatment. ‘People were suffering due to friendly fight between officers and hospital as they were denied their right to free treatment for which the government had paid from the public exchequer and resources,’ said Ashok Agarwal, eminent lawyer who dragged both the partners in Delhi High Court through a PIL in 1997.
The High Court appointed expert committee reported in 2002 that average bed occupancy of the hospital was at 69.2 percent in IPD but it was not providing free facility. Another High Court appointed committee submitted in 2009 average free treatment provided by the hospital in last five years was 2.46 % in IPD and 0.27 % in OPD against mandatory 33% and 40 % respectively. In it’s order in 2009 Delhi High court directed the hospital to honour the agreement but it approached Supreme Court where the case is still pending. But the court as interim order directed Apollo to extend free consultancy and charge for medicines and consumables.
Interestingly, the chief secretary of Delhi government is ex-officio chairman of the joint venture which run the hospital and some officers are also directors in the board. The hospital does not report to Delhi government nor the officers can inspect it’s records for free treatment.
How People were Cheated
1986: Delhi administration invited Expression of Interest to run a multidisciplinary super speciality hospital in Player's Building on no profit no loss basis providing free medical and other facilities to one third of its indoor and 40 % of its OPD patients without any discrimination. The hospital was also required to participate in National Health programmes
1997 Agreement between Apollo and Delhi Government: The hospital would extend the free services only after it is fully commissioned which means average bed occupancy ratio is minimum 65 % for minimum six months
1998 Apollo's submission in Delhi High Court: Government is like other stake holders (26% equity) and does not have any special right (to demand free treatment for poor), definition of poor is not clear, free treatment does not include medicines and consumables and hospital is not fully operational
?
The 15 acre land on which the Apollo hospital in situated has a minimum value of Rs 645.9 croe as per present circle rate was provided by Delhi government on lease rent of Re 1 per month in 1994.
Besides, the government had also provided Rs 23.83 crore as its contribution to 26 percent equity to construct the hospital and Rs 14.83 crore as compensation for delayed delivery of land. As per the agreement the hospital was to provide free treatment to patients on one third of it’s beds and 40% of OPD without any discrimination after it becomes fully operational which means at lest 65 percent of the 600 beds are occupied for minimum six months.
The Apollo group was selected from a list of 25 hospital groups which had shown interest to run a hospital on ‘No Profit, No Loss’ basis in response to a flagship project of the government in 1986 to utilise Player’s Building, now Delhi Secretariat.
The hospital turned down several requests of Delhi government to honour the agreement of free treatment. ‘People were suffering due to friendly fight between officers and hospital as they were denied their right to free treatment for which the government had paid from the public exchequer and resources,’ said Ashok Agarwal, eminent lawyer who dragged both the partners in Delhi High Court through a PIL in 1997.
The High Court appointed expert committee reported in 2002 that average bed occupancy of the hospital was at 69.2 percent in IPD but it was not providing free facility. Another High Court appointed committee submitted in 2009 average free treatment provided by the hospital in last five years was 2.46 % in IPD and 0.27 % in OPD against mandatory 33% and 40 % respectively. In it’s order in 2009 Delhi High court directed the hospital to honour the agreement but it approached Supreme Court where the case is still pending. But the court as interim order directed Apollo to extend free consultancy and charge for medicines and consumables.
Interestingly, the chief secretary of Delhi government is ex-officio chairman of the joint venture which run the hospital and some officers are also directors in the board. The hospital does not report to Delhi government nor the officers can inspect it’s records for free treatment.
How People were Cheated
1986: Delhi administration invited Expression of Interest to run a multidisciplinary super speciality hospital in Player's Building on no profit no loss basis providing free medical and other facilities to one third of its indoor and 40 % of its OPD patients without any discrimination. The hospital was also required to participate in National Health programmes
1997 Agreement between Apollo and Delhi Government: The hospital would extend the free services only after it is fully commissioned which means average bed occupancy ratio is minimum 65 % for minimum six months
1998 Apollo's submission in Delhi High Court: Government is like other stake holders (26% equity) and does not have any special right (to demand free treatment for poor), definition of poor is not clear, free treatment does not include medicines and consumables and hospital is not fully operational
?
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