Delhi HC seeks RML’s stand on plea claiming lack of medical facilities

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on a plea alleging non-availability of proper medical facilities.

The court asked the hospital’s medical superintendent to submit an affidavit on the grievance raised in the plea regarding the alleged non-availability of nucleic acid testing (NAT) to detect infections like HIV and of essential medicines.

“Let the counsel make submissions on the next date of hearing on the specific grievance of the petitioner in respect of NAT testing and non-availability of essential medicines,” said a Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora during a hearing on Friday. The court listed the case for the next hearing on December 17.

The petition by NGO Kutumb sought directions to the Central government and the RML Hospital to take the necessary measures to ensure the uninterrupted availability of essential medicines, life-saving drugs, and safe blood transfusion facilities.

The petitioner claimed that, according to media reports, blood transfusions at RML Hospital are being conducted without the mandatory NAT, a vital safety procedure designed to detect infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

“The hospital’s semi-automatic NAT machine reportedly stopped functioning in November 2024, and since then, only routine serology tests [which check for antibodies or antigens, rather than the actual virus genes] are being conducted. This exposes thousands of unsuspecting patients, including those requiring repeated transfusions such as thalassemia patients, to a grave risk of contracting life-threatening diseases,” the plea said.

The petition said the “non-availability” of essential medicines and supplies, and the “forcing poor patients” to purchase them at exorbitant prices from outside, defeat the very purpose of a government hospital and amount to denial of access to healthcare to economically weaker sections.