Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday penned a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, conveying his disappointment regarding the "pathetic state" of hospitals operating under the Health Department of the AAP-led government. In the letter, he underlined several issues related to the health infrastructure of the national capital. 



As per a letter copy shared by news agency ANI, Lt Governor Saxena in his letter said, "I am writing to express my deep disappointment and concern with regards to the pathetic state of hospitals under the Health Department of GNCTD. Even as tall claims to the contrary have been made consistently by you and your ministers, recent media reports highlighting the scathing observations made by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court on the dismal state of affairs in Delhi's government hospitals have brought to the fore a rot that seems to have become deep-rooted."


He further stressed, "You would appreciate that as the National Capital, Delhi deserves a world-class healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of its citizens and not one plagued by systemic dysfunction and neglect, as the case is now."


"The Court's remarks, highlighting and 'fixing' of inadequate infrastructure, manpower shortages, inefficient patient management, and potential financial mismanagement, paint a deeply troubling picture. These issues are not merely administrative oversights; they are direct violations of the Fundamental duties of the government, as indeed the Fundamental Right to health, and cast a long shadow of disrepute on the Nation's Capital," the letter read.


The letter further stated, "You may be aware, as it has been widely reported in the media, that the Hon'ble Delhi High Court, while hearing a suo motu case of 2017 based on a news report, wherein a new-born died for the lack of an ICU bed in a government hospital in the Capital. While continuing with the hearing, the Court also considered an application seeking an investigation into the death of a man recently, who was refused treatment by government hospitals due to non-functioning equipment."


While highlighting the media reports, he underscored that the man was refused admission by hospitals due to the non-availability of necessary facilities, including CT scan, ICU/ventilator beds, and the absence of a communication network between the hospitals in the Capital, resulting in his unfortunate death. Similarly, there have been frequent reports of neglect, filth, and lack of basic amenities in several hospitals of GNCTD, wherein the Health Minister has taken to social media to take corrective measures, but to no avail. "Such matters are heinous in nature and expose the actual state of public health as well as Delhi's public health services. I advise you and the Hon'ble Health Minister of GNCTD to take up this issue and put in serious measures to rectify the prevailing situation," he stated.


Additionally, Saxena requested CM Kejriwal to take immediate and decisive actions to address the critical concerns. "You may recall that in my earlier letter dated 22.06.2023, on a related issue, I had highlighted and raised concerns and urged prompt action with regards to enhancing the public health infrastructure and bed capacity in the City, which has been almost in a state of limbo for the past 10 years. Similarly, recent episodes regarding fake tests on ghost patients in Mohalla Clinics and reports of drugs failing tests of efficacy are issues that need urgent attention," he mentioned


He also sought a factual report on the state of health infrastructure in major Delhi government hospitals.


Delhi CM Kejriwal Urges LG VK Saxena To Replace Health Secretary And Finance Secretary


In response to LG VK Saxena's letter, Delhi CM CM Arvind Kejriwal raised the request to replace two bureaucrats — the Health Secretary and Finance Secretary — with better officers.


He replied, "I have repeatedly requested you to replace these two bureaucrats with better officers as these are very critical departments. I am sure that there must be some compulsion at your end because of which you are unable to do that despite promising me many times that you would replace them."



While responding to Saxena's letter, Kejriwal wrote, " I am in receipt of your letter dated 3rd Feb regarding deteriorating health infrastructure in Delhi. I have asked the Health Minister for a report on the same. However, I wish to state that I have written to you earlier also to replace the Health Secretary Sh. Deepak Kumar, who is not only inefficient but openly defies the oral and written orders of his minister. How can an elected government function if the senior-most bureaucrat in that department refuses to follow orders of his Minister? Likewise, the Finance Secretary, Sh. Ashish Verma had in the past stopped the payments of medicines, lab tests, doctors' salaries, farishtey scheme, DAK scheme, thus paralysing the entire health system. I have requested you several times in the past, both in my personal meetings with you and in writing, to replace the Finance Secretary."


In the letter it read, "He also openly defies orders of his Finance Minister. It is extremely important that the bureaucrats follow the orders of their ministers. Constitution Bench of Hon'ble Supreme Court has also laid down in its order dated 11th May, 2023 about triple chain of accountability in our parliamentary democracy bureaucracy is accountable to Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers is accountable to the Legislature and Legislature is accountable to the people. If any one component of this triple chain breaks, the entire governance system would collapse."


Further stressing the need for the replacement of the two bureaucrats, Kejriwal wrote, "The insubordination and refusal of Finance Secretary and Health Secretary to obey the orders of their Ministers has brought Delhi's Health system to this state. I have repeatedly requested you to replace these two bureaucrats with better officers as these are very critical departments. I am sure that there must be some compulsion at your end because of which you are unable to do that despite promising me many times that you would replace them."


"In the interest of the people of Delhi, I again urge you to kindly replace them at the earliest," CM requested in the letter