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Expresses Shock Over 400 Ventilators, 910 Oxygen Concentrators Unused at GTB Hospital
A bench of the expressed shock on Friday after learning that 400 ventilators and 910 oxygen concentrators were lying unused at , prompting the court to order urgent action to address a widespread crisis of idle medical equipment across 26 Delhi government hospitals.
The division bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a concerning the state of healthcare services in the capital. The court had previously directed the Delhi government to provide a detailed list of medical equipment purchased but not put to use. The report that followed painted a grim picture.
Shock in Courtroom: 400 Ventilators, 910 Oxygen Concentrators Idle at GTB Hospital
The court noted that the ventilators and oxygen concentrators at GTB Hospital were procured or donated during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now surplus. “The situation of Guru Teg Bahadhur Hospital (GTB Hospital) is also quite shocking where there are 400 ventilators and 910 oxygen concentrators which are lying unused,” the bench observed.
The court further noted that the hospital’s ECG machine is non-functional, effectively leaving the hospital without one. “Even the ECG machine in the GTB Hospital is now non-functional and there is no other ECG machine mentioned in the said report. Hence, the hospital, in all likelihood, is functioning without an ECG machine, which is an extremely important piece of equipment for a healthcare institution.”
The Audit That Revealed the Crisis
The court was also presented with a detailed audit report by the on the implementation of the NextGen e-Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) across 38 hospitals in Delhi. The audit, conducted between July 13 and 24, 2026, revealed that while some hospitals have adopted the system, many suffer from deficiencies such as lack of staff, technical manpower, and IT infrastructure.
The court also noted that the has a “very large number” of equipment for cancer diagnosis and treatment lying unused. “The equipment appears to be manufactured by globally well-known companies, and it is unclear as to why such equipment is being permitted to lie unused after enormous investment having been made into the same,” the bench remarked.
Court Orders Swift Action: Meeting of Health Officials on August 17
The court directed the Secretary, , and the Secretary, Services, of the Delhi government to hold a joint meeting with the medical superintendents and directors of all 26 hospitals on , at 11:30 a.m. The meeting will address:
- Shortage of technically qualified manpower
- Removal of unused and condemned equipment
- Re-allocation of equipment from one hospital to another where needed
- Recruitment timelines for operating the equipment
- Coordination with equipment manufacturers for missing accessories
The court also sought a on the proposal to use the existing toll-free helpline for ICU bed availability and emergency enquiries, and clarified the role of the proposed “Referral Coordinator” for inter-hospital transfers.
Patient Care and Future Directions
The court was informed that a patient, Mrs. Kamar Jahan, who was earlier denied an ICU bed despite availability shown on the portal, has now been admitted and is receiving treatment at . The court closed that issue.
The matter will next be heard on , with the court expecting a comprehensive on the steps taken to address the deficiencies.
