Delhi HC Orders Audits Over Defunct Medical Machinery

The Delhi High Court recently took a strong stand against the gross waste of public resources in healthcare facilities. Specifically, the court ordered a comprehensive Delhi Hospital Equipment Audit across all state-run healthcare centers. This decision came after officials revealed that highly expensive diagnostic machinery has been lying idle for several years.

Unused Machinery Prompts Delhi Hospital Equipment Audit

The judicial intervention began when the Delhi State Cancer Institute confirmed that its PET Cyclotron machine remains non-operational. Interestingly, the institute purchased this advanced imaging equipment in 2017 for approximately Rs 15.42 crore. However, the machine has not functioned since April 2022 because of a severe shortage of trained personnel and pending regulatory approvals. Consequently, patients requiring critical oncological diagnostics could not access this facility.

Therefore, the bench ordered all state-run hospitals to conduct detailed physical inspections of their machinery. Furthermore, medical superintendents must submit complete lists of all unused diagnostic equipment. These reports must clearly specify the acquisition cost, the year of purchase, and the exact reasons for non-utilization. As a result, the court hopes to restore operational efficiency across the capital’s public healthcare infrastructure, which is a vital component of robust emergency medicine systems.

Improving Hospital Accountability and Digital Infrastructure

Additionally, the bench raised serious concerns about overall digital management in public hospitals. For instance, recent incidents showed that some institutions turned away critical patients despite digital portals showing available ICU beds. Therefore, the court directed the National Informatics Centre to perform surprise audits across 38 government facilities. These measures will ensure that real-time tracking portals accurately display bed availability and help desks remain active, ensuring that patients receive timely intensive care medicine when needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why did the High Court order the Delhi Hospital Equipment Audit?

The court ordered the audit after learning that a PET Cyclotron machine worth Rs 15.42 crore at the Delhi State Cancer Institute has been defunct since 2022 due to lack of staff and approvals, which represents a massive waste of public funds.

Q2: What details must hospital superintendents include in their audit reports?

Superintendents must submit detailed affidavits listing the nature of each unused machine, its purpose, purchase price, year of acquisition, and the specific reasons why it remains idle.

References

1. Delhi HC asks for inventory of unused medical equipment – ETHealthworld
2. Delhi High Court Orders Audit of ICU Bed System Across 38 Delhi Hospitals After Patient Denied Admission – Court Book
3. Delhi HC directs NIC to conduct surprise audits of 38 government hospitals – Medical Buyer

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