Hospitals set up on subsidized lands renege on promise to reserve beds

The Supreme Court on Wednesday lamented how private hospitals set up on lands purchased at subsidies rates are reneging on their commitment to reserve some of their beds for the poor.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Prasanna B Varale made the remark while hearing a petition challenging government regulations calling for uniform rates for ophthalmological procedures across the country.

“All these private hospitals they say, when getting subsidised land, that they will reserve at least 25 per cent beds for Economically Weaker Sections but it never happens. We have seen it many times,” Justice Dhulia said.

The petition filed by the All-India Ophthalmological Society contended that the rates for procedures conducted by specialists could not be the same in, metropolitan cities and small remote villages.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate B Vijayalakshmi Menon appeared for the society.

The bench proceeded to issued limited notice to the Attorney General in the matter and listed it for further consideration on April 17, after noting that the issue has large ramifications.

“But can you challenge a policy like this? You see, for example health care rates in northeast are very affordable and it will get affected,” Justice Dhulia remarked during the course of the hearing. Bar and Bench