New Delhi (India), February 28: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services in the Delhi Assembly on Friday. The report revealed severe mismanagement in the health sector under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, including underutilisation of funds, delays in project execution, and shortages of staff and essential medical supplies.
According to the CAG report, the AAP government “grossly mismanaged” the COVID-19 pandemic response, spending only Rs 582.84 crore out of the total Rs 787.91 crore released by the central government for pandemic-related efforts.
The performance audit, covering the years 2016-17 to 2021-22, also shed light on the “dire status” of Mohalla Clinics under the previous government’s scheme. Notably, 21 Mohalla Clinics were found without toilets, 15 lacked power backup, six had no check-up tables, and 12 were not accessible to physically disabled individuals. AYUSH dispensaries faced similar issues, with many lacking power backup, toilets, or drinking water facilities.
The report highlighted severe underutilisation of allocated funds for Human Resources in the health sector. While Rs 52 crore was allotted, only Rs 30.52 crore was utilised. Similarly, Rs 83.14 crore of the Rs 119.85 crore allocated for drugs and supplies, including PPE and masks, went unused.
Despite the increasing demand for hospital beds, only 1,357 beds were added between 2016-17 and 2020-21, far short of the 32,000 beds promised. Additionally, the report noted that only three new hospitals were completed under the AAP government, with the final costs being significantly higher than the initial tendered amounts.
The CAG audit also pointed out a critical shortage of manpower and non-functional equipment in various hospitals. For instance, in Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, multiple essential facilities, such as modular operating theatres and ICUs, were not operational. Similar issues were noted at the Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, where several critical services were either non-functional or underutilised.
Moreover, the Sushruta Trauma Centre at Lok Nayak Hospital lacked a permanent arrangement for 24-hour emergency services, and out of 27 hospitals, many faced shortages in ICU services, blood bank availability, oxygen services, and ambulance provisions.
Additionally, the report mentioned that funds allocated for Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH) schemes were underutilised, with usage ranging from 58.90% to 93.03% during the audit period. This indicated inadequate implementation of key health programmes by the Delhi government.
The CAG report raises serious concerns about the management and allocation of resources in Delhi’s healthcare system, urging the government to take corrective actions to address these deficiencies.