The Delhi High Court turns the spotlight on Apollo Hospitals, demanding mandatory free treatment and access to beds for the poor.

The Supreme Court of India has ordered an inspection of Apollo Hospital, a 600-bed multi-specialty hospital in New Delhi, to investigate whether it has been fulfilling its obligations to provide free treatment and hospital beds to poor patients, as stipulated in its lease deed. The hospital was established in 1994 on a 15-acre land parcel given by the Delhi government at a symbolic lease amount of ₹1 per month. The lease deed required the hospital to reserve at least one-third of the beds for free diagnostic facilities and provide free treatment to 40% of out-patient department (OPD) patients. However, the hospital has been accused of not adhering to these obligations. The court has directed the Centre and the Delhi government to constitute a joint inspection team to submit a report on the hospital’s compliance with the lease deed in four weeks. The court has also asked the hospital to provide full assistance to the inspecting team and produce all relevant records. The hospital has not commented on the matter. The court’s order is in response to an appeal filed by Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited, which runs the hospital, challenging a 2009 order of the Delhi High Court in a public interest litigation alleging that the hospital was not providing medical facilities to the poor. The court has also directed the Delhi government and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to file an affidavit explaining whether the lease deed has been renewed and what steps have been taken to restore the government land if it has not been renewed.