SC issues contempt notice to 51 Delhi hospitals over free treatment norms

• Supreme Court issued contempt notices to 51 private Delhi hospitals for failing to comply with mandatory free treatment norms for economically weaker sections.
• Hospitals directed to explain why contempt proceedings shouldn't be initiated and concessions (subsidised land allotments) withdrawn.
• Noticed hospitals include Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Moolchand Khairatiram Hospital, Centre for Sight, and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre.
• The 2018 court order mandated hospitals allotted concessional land to provide free treatment to 25% OPD and 10% IPD patients from EWS.
• SC appointed Delhi government's Health Secretary as Nodal Officer to take action against non-compliant hospitals; DDA, LDO, MCD directed to respond.