Delhi HC seeks RML Hospital’s response on non-availability of facilities

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital authorities on a petition raising the issue of non-availability of proper medical facilities at the institute.

The high court asked the medical superintendent of the hospital to file an affidavit on the petitioner’s grievance regarding the non-availability of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT), done to detect deadly infections like HIV, and essential medicines in the hospital.

“Let the counsel take instructions from respondent no. 3 (Director of RML Hospital and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences) and 4 (Medical Superintendent of RML Hospital) and 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,” a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora said.

“A specific affidavit shall be filed by the medical superintendent of RML Hospital,” it said.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on December 17.

Also read: The last Chinese shoemaker of Connaught Place

The bench was hearing a petition by NGO Kutumb seeking direction to the central government and the RML Hospital authorities to take necessary measures to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines, life-saving drugs and even safe blood transfusion facilities to the poor and needy patients at the hospital and the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS).

Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh, representing the petitioner organisation, 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 deadly infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C during the window period when conventional antibody tests may fail.

“The hospital’s semi-automatic NAT machine reportedly stopped functioning in November 2024 and since then, only routine serology tests 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.

It said the non-availability of essential medicines and supplies, and forcing poor patients to purchase them at exorbitant prices from outside, defeats the very purpose of a government hospital and amounts to denial of access to healthcare to economically weaker sections.