The Delhi Government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that Indraprastha Apollo Hospital attended only 9-10 per cent outpatients and 7-9 per cent inpatients belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in the past five years in contravention to its lease agreement. The hospital was required to look after the EWS patients to the extent of 40 per cent outpatients and 33 per cent inpatients.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi took the affidavit filed by Vatsala Aggarwal, Director General at the Directorate of Health Services of the Delhi Government, on record.
The Delhi Government, in its affidavit, said, “The hospital was obliged to look after the EWS patients to the extent of 40 per cent outpatients and 33 per cent inpatients. However, as per scrutiny, only 9-10 per cent patients in OPD and 7-9 per cent in IPD of the total patients are attended over the last 5 years for which the records were scrutinised.” The Supreme Court posted the matter for further hearing in the second week of December and asked Apollo Hospital, which is being run by Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited (IMCL), to file its response.
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea of IMCL challenging the September 22, 2009, order of the Delhi High Court which had ruled that hospital administration has flouted the lease agreement condition to provide free treatment to indoor and outdoor poor patients with “impunity”.
The High Court had passed the order on a plea of All India Lawyers’ Union (Delhi Unit), represented by advocate Ashok Agrawal.
At the outset, Additional Solicitor General SD Sanjay submitted before the Supreme Court that the expert committee constituted on the orders of the court has visited the hospital and given its findings.
The Delhi Government further said that pursuant to the March 25 order of the court, it in consultation with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, constituted an expert committee to examine and furnish the joint comprehensive report clearly explaining as to how its obligation was compiled by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals as per the lease agreement. It said the expert panel comprising four members were constituted on April 25, 2025, to visit the Apollo Hospital physically to assess and verify the records and status on the site.
“The team visited the Hospital on three occasions May 30, 2025, June 10-16, 2025. The expert committee held its meeting on various occasions and it also sought data regarding the EWS patients from the Apollo Hospital and the same was verified through the EWS,” it said.
Giving the details of finding of the expert panel, the Delhi Government said it was further found that treatment of the EWS /poor patients is not being done totally free of cost.
“All these patients are being charged for all the medicines and consumables on an actual cost basis or they are asked to procure the medicines from outside. Patients are also charged with 20 percent of the cost of all consumables used in diagnostic services,” it said.
