From February, medicines and diagnostics tests will be available free of cost at all the Delhi government-run hospitals.
From February, medicines and diagnostics tests will be available free of cost at all the Delhi government-run hospitals. The Delhi government said on Sunday that it has decided to waive user charges at all government hospitals from February 1 and would make medicines and diagnostic tests available free of cost, using funds saved from three flyover projects.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal made an announcement to this effect at the inauguration of an elevated corridor between Mango-lpuri to Madhuban Chowk on Outer Ring Road, which, he said, was built at the cost of '300 crore, well below the sanctioned cost of '450 crore.
He also thanked former chief minister Sheila Dikshit for commissioning the project. Mr Kejriwal said that the decision to provide the services free of cost has been made possible by efficiency of the city’s public works department (PWD), headed by home minister Satyendar Jain, which he claimed has saved '350 crore in construction of the three flyovers.
“Mr Jain and I had estimated that if we want to provide facilities such as X-ray, ultrasound, blood tests and medicines for free in all the government hospitals we would have to set aside around '350 crore. Now the money saved in building the elevated corridors will be used for this purpose, which is your right,” said the chief minister.The Delhi government runs around 38 hospitals across the metropolis.
