A success at Last : Hospitals allotted Land at subsidized rate to disclose name and address of patients treated under EWS category

[DineshK]

Wide it decision No. WP(C) No. 2866/2002 Hon’ble High Court has ordered that the hospitals which have been allotted land on subsidized rate should provide reservation for Economical Weaker Section (EWS) which should be 10% free beds in IPD and 25% in case of OPD.

A RTI application was filed by me with Directorate of Health Service (DHS) to get the record from one of the hospital which informed though DHS that the hospital has treated 784 patients in OPD and 29 patients were admitted under EWS category. The figure given by the hospital was completely doubtful as they were not providing any treatment to poor patients. I tried to send some poor patients to know the fact but the poor patients were turned away by the hospital.

The Directorate of health service refused to disclose the name and address of patients treated by the hospital under EWS category stating that it will invade privacy of the patients. During the hearing the PIO tried to cite the rule pre 2005 which were set aside by the commission stating that RTI act supersede all other acts and list of beneficiaries getting treatment under concession cannot be treated as confidential. IC was kind enough to treat my appeal as general public interest.

CIC therefore has ordered the Public Authority i.e. Directorate of Health Service, Delhi that they should publish the name, father name, address and bed number of all patients treated under EWS category daily for all the private hospitals who have been allotted land by Govt at subsidized rate. The list should be published at their website daily with effect from 02 Oct 2010.

However how for this order is obeyed by the authorities in spirit is yet to be seen.

Full CIC Decision

Similar Threads which you may be interested into:

• rate of registation of agriculture land measuring less then 2 canals
• Govt allotted Land Peoples not using
• ESIS hospitals have funds, patients; but no doctors
• Question: Can a returned RTI application from a correct address be treated as refusal to accept the RTI application?
• Need Help: Admission of poor children in schools on subsidized govt. land

[karira]

Sponsorer

That is a real good achievement !
Must try this out in AP also.

[jps50]

Very good efforts for poor patients. Please keep track of compliance. Please also visit:

Non compliance:
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/...-cic-sics.html

I am thinking of such a move in Gujarat.

[Atul Patankar]

Great effort Sir. Congratulations.

[DineshK]

And finally the hospitals have started publishing the details of beds available and name of patients (check the link given below). But most of them are showing that all the beds allotted to Economic Weaker Section (EWS) are vacant.

Does that means the India has no patients in EWS category ?

Link to website