Doctors at Hindu Rao hospital protest. (Express Photo)Amid protests by healthcare workers of Hindu Rao Hospital over pending salaries, the AAP Friday released an internal communication of the BJP-led North MCD, showing that the corporation had mulled handing over its hospitals to the Centre in 2018 to reduce “annual financial burden” of up to Rs 600 crore.
AAP leader Durgesh Pathak Friday released a document, dated July 28, 2018, prepared by the North corporation’s health department, which had suggested that the proposal be placed before the standing committee of the MCD for approval.
While an MCD spokesperson said that the proposal being referred to was turned down by the standing committee, Pathak said that if the corporation was ready to hand over the management of the hospitals to the Centre earlier, it should not resist the proposal of the Delhi government to take over the facilities now.
The document said that keeping the financial crunch faced by the civic body in mind, “it is not possible for the health department to continue to run these institutions as per public expectations”.
“Therefore, it is suggested that all hospitals including the medical college may be handed over to the Central government so that adequate amounts of resources can be infused in for upgradation and smooth functioning of these institutions. This will be in public interest…,” it said.
The note, addressed to the then commissioner of the corporation, added that MCD institutions have been handed over to the Delhi government in the past as well and went on to name the Fire Brigade, Delhi Vidyut Board, Delhi Jal Board, among others.
“The handing over of the hospitals and medical college will reduce the annual financial burden of North DMC by about Rs 500-600 crore, which can be utilised for augmentation and improvement of remaining public services,” it said.
“The AAP believes that it’s a criminal act on the BJP’s end to not hand over these hospitals to the Delhi government despite an open invitation,” Pathak said.
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