The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed severe lapses in the healthcare system in Delhi under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The report, focusing on healthcare under AAP, pointed out that although the central government released funds to the Delhi government specifically for COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the AAP-led government failed to disburse the funds in a timely manner. Serious healthcare system lapses include a shortage of staff in hospitals, non-functional operation theatres, shortages of medicines, and other issues.
Delay in disbursing central funds for vaccination
The CAG report suggests that funds allocated by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were meant to be transferred to the Delhi State Health Society (DSHS) for further distribution. However, the Delhi administration, under the leadership of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, withheld the money for months, effectively delaying crucial immunisation efforts.
According to the report, the central government allocated Rs 9.60 crore in two instalments. The first instalment of Rs 3.46 crore was released in January 2021, and the second instalment of Rs 6.14 crore was released in March 2021. Instead of immediately transferring the money to DSHS, the Delhi government delayed the process and released the funds in April 2021 and May 2021, respectively, when the second wave of COVID-19 was wreaking havoc in the national capital.
Unspent funds despite urgent need
The CAG report also revealed that despite the urgency of the pandemic, a significant portion of the vaccination funds remained unspent. By March 2022, only Rs 7.92 crore out of the allocated Rs 9.60 crore was utilised, raising serious concerns about the efficiency of fund management during a public health crisis.
Delhi was one of the most affected cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thousands of lives were lost. The vaccination drive played a crucial role in curbing the spread of the deadly virus nationwide. However, the delay in fund allocation and mismanagement in the utilisation of funds by the then Kejriwal-led government might have severely compromised the pace and effectiveness of the immunisation programme in Delhi.
Earlier OpIndia reported that out of a total of Rs 787.91 crore allotted for COVID fund, AAP government used only Rs 584.84 crore. Also, Rs 30.52 crore meant for healthcare workers and Rs 83.14 crore for essential drugs and PPE kits were not used by the then-Delhi government.
