Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Thursday said the people under probe for allegedly supplying substandard drugs to city hospitals were chosen by “them” and not his party’s Government.
Bharadwaj also refuted the allegation made by BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi that more than 500 patients are being treated in each Mohalla Clinic (AAMC) of Delhi every day.
“This is very unfortunate and an old habit of BJP spokespersons to lie in their press conferences. This is a cheap tactic to defame the world-renowned model of Mohalla clinics in Delhi. To set the record straight, the data of OPD consultations in the 484 AAMCs functional during the month of December, 2023 is being provided,” he said. Earlier Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has recommended a CBI probe into alleged fake lab tests and ghost patients at Delhi’s mohalla clinics. Before this, Saxena has ordered a CBI probe into the supply of drugs that allegedly failed “quality standard tests.”
Bharadwaj at a press conference at the party office, said, if they are saying, “corruption has happened in mohalla clinics, then suspend the health secretary.”
Bharadwaj said the had in September addressed a press conference, announcing the de-empanelment of 26 staffers, including seven doctors, posted at mohalla clinics, for allegedly trying to manipulate the attendance system.
“As far as the health department is concerned, or mohalla clinics, drugs, and whether the standard is good or not, or if anyone is entering phone number or entering random digits, or some wrong number (at mohalla clinics), this has to be checked by officials, and they have a DGHS above and above that health secretary is there,” he argued.
It is their job to do “random checks” at their level, the minister said.
“Who has appointed the DGHS? not us. Who has appointed the health secretary? not us. Who has chosen them, you all know. People chosen by them (for these posts) are committing wrong things. And, they themselves are probing it.
“So, they are probing people appointed by them only, and not probing us. We have given it in writing that they be removed,” Bharadwaj told reporters.
Sharing a data, Bharadwaj said it is very clear that in 39 clinics, there was an average of less than 75 patients per day. In 237 Mohalla clinics, there was an average count of 76 to 150 patients per day. In 129 clinics, there was an average fall of 151 to 180 patients per day. Mohalla clinics with patient count of 181 to 200 per day were 44. In 33 clinics, the average patient footfall per day was between 201 to 250.
The only two clinics which saw the highest footfall in the month of December were having between 250 to 301 patients per day.
The health minister hit out at the BJP over its allegation that money to the tune of crores was lost in these scams but the government took no action.
“In small issues, officers lose their jobs immediately. One act of negligence leads to suspension.
“And, here you are saying that a large number of people were given spurious drugs and no one has been suspended, no action has been taken, how is it happening?” Bharadwaj said.
“You are saying corruption has happened in mohalla clinics, so suspend the health secretary. What are you waiting for?
“This is an unusual investigation. Because, they are people appointed by them only. They are saying they have committed corruption and not removing them. Wonderful! What governance,” he said.
