New Delhi, March 3 (NationPress) Characterizing the prior AAP administration’s health framework and hospitals as “sick”, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday asserted that the CAG’s findings regarding the health department’s mismanagement, the distribution of counterfeit medications, the squandering of public funds, and the lack of medical professionals reaffirm what the BJP has consistently claimed.

Wrapping up the discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report concerning the Performance Audit on ‘Public Health Infrastructure & Management of Health Services’, CM Gupta summarized the transgressions, stating, “Fake medicines were given to patients, and real payments were made in the name of fake patients.”

CM Gupta directed her critiques at the former AAP administration, declaring, “Only corruption was perpetrated over the past 10 years in the name of health model.”

She vowed to exert relentless efforts to enhance the state of hospitals and the health department, which had endured significant challenges under the AAP leadership.

“We are working tirelessly to rid each department of debt, and all our ministers and legislators will fulfill every promise made by us,” she noted.

CM Gupta criticized the former AAP administration for deteriorating the state of city hospitals and utilizing ghost patients to misappropriate funds while neglecting to fill vacancies for doctors and nurses.

“The issue is not about under-utilization of the Budget, nor is it about insufficient addition of beds or drug shortages; it’s about the harassment and ill-treatment patients experienced,” she emphasized.

Additionally, she condemned the AAP’s Mohalla Clinic scheme, asserting, “Everything regarding Mohalla Clinics was fake – medication, patients, staff, and tests – with only one real aspect being the payments and wastage of public funds.”

She claimed that corruption and theft in all welfare programs had become habitual for the AAP government. “They even stole the social media handle of the CMO. We were compelled to file a complaint against them.”

Opposition members exited the House, demanding a monthly payment of Rs 2,500 to women, as she detailed the failures of the AAP government, noting that 234 posts for duty medical officers remained vacant, over 2,000 nursing positions were unfilled, and 2,796 paramedic roles were lacking.

In a rebuttal directed at the Opposition, CM Gupta remarked, “They have resorted to wasting the Assembly’s time because they are unwilling to confront the truths unveiled by the CAG reports.”

She criticized the extravagant spending under the AAP regime, illustrating that hospital storerooms were overflowing with unused PPE kits, masks, oxygen cylinders, and other equipment.

“During Covid, one mask priced at Rs 10 was purchased for Rs 150 to embezzle funds,” she stated, referencing the CAG's findings.

CM Gupta condemned the mismanagement during the AAP era, noting that 24 hospital projects initiated under the previous government remain unfinished. “The costs of many projects have doubled, and they are still far from completion,” she remarked.

In reference to Arvind Kejriwal’s admission during the election campaign that he failed to fulfill promises, including cleaning the Yamuna and providing clean water, she added, “I am pleased that Kejriwal has finally spoken the truth and acknowledged his failures.”

CM Gupta asserted that the Opposition members have been rattled by just two CAG reports presented in the House. “They lack the courage to confront the criticism,” she said.

Earlier, Tilak Nagar legislator Jarnail Singh was ordered to be removed from the House for interrupting CM Gupta’s address with slogans.

During the initial portion of the debate on the CAG report, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh announced that the government would initiate an inquiry into the malpractices in hospitals and health centers noted in the CAG report, ensuring that no individuals implicated in corruption would escape accountability.

In an attempt to defend the prior AAP administration, Leader of Opposition Atishi sought to highlight negative CAG observations regarding other states, but Speaker Vijender Gupta dismissed her comments.

At the conclusion of the discussion regarding the CAG report, Speaker Vijender Gupta referred the report to the Public Accounts Committee for evaluation within three months.

He also instructed the Health Department to present an action-taken report on the CAG findings within one month.

The CAG audit report, presented in the House on February 28, points to significant under-utilization of funds during the pandemic, revealing that only approximately Rs 582.84 crore of the total Rs 787.91 crore allocated by the Central government for Covid management was utilized.

“Rs 83.14 crore of the released Rs 119.85 crore for drugs and supplies, including PPE and masks, remained unutilized,” the report indicated, deeming the inaction as equivalent to criminal negligence.

The CAG report further emphasizes that a lack of manpower persists in many recognized hospitals, including Lok Nayak Hospital, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, and others.

“The deficit in the numbers of nurses and paramedic staff is approximately 21 percent and 38 percent respectively,” it stated.

Additionally, it highlights that ICU services were unavailable in 14 hospitals, Blood Bank services in 16, Oxygen services in 8, Mortuary services in 15, and Ambulance services in 12 hospitals.