Nearly one-third of the posts for specialist doctor in the 32 Delhi government-run hospitals are lying vacant, according to an affidavit filed by the Health Secretary in the High Court. Vacancies have been reported from departments including radiology, medicine, anaesthesia, and surgical super-specialities, raising questions about the management and operational efficacy of the Capital’s healthcare facilities.
The affidavit was submitted in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) plea initiated suo motu by the High Court. The PIL was filed in 2017 following a media report on the death of a newborn in the city after the child’s family could not get a ventilator-fitted bed at four government hospitals.
Earlier this week, the court had ordered the constitution of an expert committee to recommend ways to optimise the existing resources in the Delhi government hospitals.
As per the affidavit filed by the Health Secretary, against the sanctioned strength of 727 non-teaching specialists, only 480 vacancies have been filled so far. In the case of teaching specialists, 53 out of 583 positions are vacant. There is a vacancy of 348 nurses and 460 paramedics at Delhi government hospitals, the affidavit also states. It adds that of the 56 dental surgeon posts, 35 vacancies are lying vacant.
It also stated that the government employed about 1,900 senior and 1,500 junior resident doctors at its hospitals. The official also said that the department has made “concerted efforts” to fill vacant posts for years and that the recruitment process was ongoing.
In the same case, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj told the court that half of the Delhi government hospitals do not have full-time heads.
Advocate Ashok Agarwal, who was appointed by the court as amicus curiae, said there were no ICU beds in nine Delhi government hospitals.
Mr. Agarwal also said that in the Department of Radiology and Imaging, patients were being given appointments between May 2025 and March 2027, making access to medical care “illusory”.
On the prolonged waiting time and denial of radiological tests such as MRIs and CT scans for OPD patients and emergencies, the Health Minister had cited “complicated maintenance of expensive machines, lack of staff interest, and challenging condemnation process for obsolete machines” as the major causes.
He said the department is working on a public–private partnership model to outsource radiological and nuclear medicine services to private parties.
