Question : Ensuring Availablity of Beds in Government Hospitals

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken/ is taking any steps to ensure that beds and accommodation are made available on priority basis to the patients who arrive in the Government run hospitals in an emergent health situation like heart attacks, accidents etc. irrespective of the day being a Government holiday or weekend;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to bring strict regulations and guidelines in this regard to ensure proper and timely assistance to the distressed patients; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (d): In so far as three central Govt. Hospitals viz. Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and LHMC are concerned, all the patients are admitted on priority basis in an emergent health situation, like heart attacks, accidents etc. Patients are provided round the clock 24x7 emergency services irrespective of any holiday or weekend. No patient is sent back without given proper attention and treatment.
Further, to augment the facilities to attend such patients, Emergency Care Services with 289 beds and exclusive Trauma Centre in Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and a New Emergency Block in Safdarjung Hospital with 500 beds have been constructed and made functional.
There are guidelines and SOPs for management of patient coming to casualty which ensures that patient receives timely care. Further, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have issued guidelines in August 2015, to all States/UTs on Good Samaritans in which, inter alia, it has been mentioned that lack of response by a doctor in an emergency situation pertaining to road accidents, where he is expected to provide care, shall constitute “professional Misconduct” under Chapter 7 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulation, 2002 and disciplinary action shall be taken against such doctors under Chapter 8 of the said Regulations. It is the responsibility of the respective State Government/UT to take action against the said Hospitals.
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