No ICU in 14 Delhi hospitals, mohalla clinics without toilets: CAG report
New Delhi: A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Delhi's healthcare infrastructure has exposed alarming mismanagement, negligence, and a lack of accountability over the last six years. Expected to be tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Friday, the report outlines critical deficiencies across the city's healthcare system, including severe shortages of medical equipment, healthcare workers, and essential services, as well as poor infrastructure in mohalla clinics.
The report, as cited by India Today, revealed worrisome gaps in critical medical services, with 14 out of 27 hospitals in Delhi lacking ICU facilities, 16 hospitals without blood banks, and 8 hospitals missing oxygen supply. Additionally, 15 hospitals do not have a mortuary, and 12 hospitals are operating without ambulance services.
The report also highlights the dire conditions in mohalla clinics, many of which are without basic facilities such as toilets, power backup, and check-up tables. Similar deficiencies were observed in AYUSH dispensaries, further adding to concerns about the city's healthcare infrastructure.
Staff shortages in Delhi hospitals are equally concerning. The report unveiled a 21 percent shortage of nurses, a 38 percent shortage of paramedics, and a staggering 50-96 percent shortage of doctors and nurses in some hospitals.
These shortages are contributing to long wait times for essential treatments. At Lok Nayak Hospital, patients face a 2-3 month wait for general surgeries and 6-8 months for burn and plastic surgeries. Meanwhile, CNBC Hospital has a 12-month waiting period for pediatric surgeries.
Other major concerns include underutilisation of available resources. The report mentioned that operation theatres, ICU beds, and private rooms at Rajiv Gandhi and Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospitals remain unused, while trauma centers suffer from a lack of specialist doctors for emergency care.
The report also flags the underutilisation of funds allocated for COVID-19 response. Of the Rs 787.91 crore allocated for pandemic management, only Rs 582.84 crore was spent. Furthermore, Rs 30.52 crore earmarked for healthcare workers remained unspent, and Rs 83.14 crore designated for essential drugs and PPE kits went unused.
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Himanta resigns as Assam CM, paving way for formation of new govt
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday resigned along with his cabinet colleagues, paving the way for formation of a new government led by the BJP, officials said.
The BJP-led NDA bagged 102 seats in the 126-member assembly. The assembly elections were held in a single phase on April 9, and counting of votes took place on May 4.
"Following the formal notification of the results of #AssamElections2026 and to enable the formation of the new government, Dr @himantabiswa tendered his resignation as Chief Minister along with that of the council of Ministers to Hon'ble Governor Shri @Laxmanacharya54 today at Lok Bhawan," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X.
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The Governor has accepted the resignation, and requested Sarma to continue as the caretaker CM till the new government assumes office, it said.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Lok Bhawan, Sarma said the oath-taking ceremony is likely to take place after May 11.
“As it was a historic win, we have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grace the occasion," he said.
The new Assam chief minister will be selected at a meeting of the BJP legislature party in presence of central observers, Sarma said.
