More than 18.7 lakh patients from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) received free treatment at identified private hospitals in Delhi during the period cited by the Government, with outpatient and inpatient beneficiaries registering sharp increases over the previous year. The figures come as the Delhi Government steps up monitoring of private hospitals and expands access to treatment under its EWS healthcare scheme.
According to figures released by the Health Department on Wednesday, 17,78,938 patients received free outpatient department (OPD) services and 94,300 were treated as inpatients (IPD) during 2025-26, covering April 2025 to October 2026. In comparison, 7,23,522 OPD patients and 41,900 IPD patients benefited during 2024-25.
The number of OPD beneficiaries rose by around 146 per cent, while the number of patients receiving free inpatient treatment increased by nearly 125 per cent, the Government said.
The scheme requires identified private hospitals to reserve 25 per cent of their OPD facilities and 10 per cent of their IPD facilities for eligible EWS patients free of cost. The Government said it was tightening compliance checks to ensure that beneficiaries receive treatment without facing financial barriers. The annual income limit for eligibility has also been raised from Rs 2.20 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
The Directorate has undertaken public awareness campaigns, including newspaper advertisements, to inform families about the revised income criteria and the benefits available under the scheme.
To help patients locate hospitals and check bed availability, the Government has launched an online dashboard. It provides details of identified private hospitals, their locations, total and vacant EWS beds, and contact information for designated liaison officers.
Hospitals must update the information three times a day, at 9 am, 2 pm, and 6 pm. The number of liaison officers has been increased from 22 to 39, covering 56 hospitals.
The Government is also planning a mobile application through which patients will be able to access information on occupied and vacant beds, including those in intensive care units.
Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh said the Government was strengthening accountability and monitoring to ensure that eligible patients received their entitled treatment. He said financial constraints should not prevent economically weaker families from accessing quality healthcare.
Enforcement has also been stepped up. The Medical Superintendent has carried out surprise inspections at eight hospitals, while the Monitoring Committee has inspected six hospitals. The Government said it has cancelled the nursing home registration certificates of four hospitals for failing to comply with the scheme.
The authorities have also begun identifying more private hospitals that must provide free treatment to EWS patients.