New Delhi: Four private hospitals in Delhi have faced action for not complying with rules requiring free treatment for patients from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). The Delhi government has cancelled the nursing home registration certificates of four hospitals for ignoring the rules. Health Minister Dr. Pankaj Singh, giving details of the action on Wednesday, said monitoring and accountability are being increased for effective implementation of the scheme.
Under the rules, identified private hospitals that received government land at concessional rates must provide 25% OPD and 10% IPD facilities free of cost for EWS patients. The government has not made public the names of the four hospitals facing action or the hospital-wise reasons.
According to the Health Department, more than 18.73 lakh patients have so far received free treatment under this scheme in 2025-26. These include around 17.79 lakh OPD and 94,300 IPD patients. Compared with the previous year, OPD beneficiaries increased by about 146% and IPD patients by 125%.
To extend the scheme’s benefits to more families, the annual family income eligibility limit has also been raised from Rs 2.20 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. At present, 58 identified private hospitals are part of this arrangement. To ensure compliance, monthly reports from hospitals are being reviewed, surprise inspections are being conducted and monitoring is under way. The government has made it clear that no eligible patient will be allowed to be denied treatment because of financial hardship.
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