In a major initiative to boost the healthcare system in this capital city, the government of Delhi has announced plans to manage 11 government hospitals in a Public Private Partnership manner, which will provide more than 10,000 additional hospital beds in the coming years. The initiative will help cope with a growing demand for better healthcare service providers in this city capital.
As per government authorities, through this PPP model, private companies will be allowed to operate and manage some government hospitals in such a way that medical treatment is not only affordable but accessible to all. The government will maintain ownership of these institutions, but it will be the responsibility of these companies to improve healthcare infrastructure and provide all other requirements.
This expansion is being undertaken when the healthcare system in Delhi is under increasing pressure due to an influx of population, lifestyle diseases, and periodic events of public health emergencies. The government hospitals in this city face extensive pressure in terms of crowding, increased waiting times, and a lack of available beds, especially in intensive care units. With this expansion of over 10,000 beds, it is expected to alleviate this pressure.
The government has clarified that these upcoming PPP hospitals will cater to multi-specialty and super-specialty healthcare such as cardiology, oncology, neurology, orthopedics, and trauma. Special attention will be given to increasing intensive care unit, emergency, and diagnostic capabilities. The need to travel to private hospitals in other cities or in other parts of Delhi for healthcare will thus become less since all these services will be available in these upcoming healthcare centers.
Under this proposed framework, a set of beds in every PPP-supported hospital will be allocated to patients referred by government programs and public hospitals, which will enable patients in this segment to get totally free or subsidised treatment. Other beds in these hospitals can be allocated to patients who can pay, which will help the private sector recover expenses incurred in providing treatment in affordable packages due to cross-subsidization.
The initiative has got a positive response from health practitioners, with most of them appreciating the model because when done in a transparent manner, PPP can really bring efficiency and innovation in healthcare. “Private participation can bring Infrastructural and Management upgradation with a proper regulatory check,” observed a senior public health practitioner.
While this is good news, there have also been reactions among some healthcare activists and opposition leaders. Some people have argued that if PPP schemes are not well managed, this can lead to the commercialization of public healthcare and, in time, lower access to healthcare for people with less income. They have asked for guidelines to be put in place and treatment charges to be standard.
The government in Delhi has clarified that measures will be put in place to avoid misuse and stated that public interest will remain a priority in this initiative. The government in this case stated that the initiative will not affect the delivery of health services offered in government health programs.
Apart from ensuring better healthcare delivery systems, this project is expected to create jobs for healthcare practitioners such as doctors, nurses, paramedics, and support staff. Some of the jobs may come from construction, renovation, or purchase of equipment in connection with expansion projects in these hospitals. With the continuing development of Delhi into a major city, it can be noted that this PPP project initiative has all the potential to make a critical impact in making decisions on future healthcare delivery in the healthcare system in this city. With this project, the addition of 11 more hospitals and over 10,000 beds can make a critical impact in making healthcare accessible to all.
