NEW DELHI: The Delhi government will initiate action against Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh after a district administration inquiry found multiple alleged ‘irregularities’, including alleged lapses in patient care, an official statement said on Thursday.In a statement, Fortis Hospital assured its complete cooperation in the matter.“Fortis remains committed to the highest standards of patient care, clinical excellence, and regulatory compliance. We will review the details once formally shared with us and extend our full cooperation to the authorities. Patient safety and well-being continue to be our foremost priority,” the hospital said.According to the Delhi government statement, the inquiry was ordered by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta following a complaint received during a ‘Jan Sunwai’ alleging that the hospital demanded payment before beginning treatment of a youth who had suffered stab injuries and that the delay in providing timely medical care led to his death.The statement said an inspection team led by Central District Magistrate, along with officials from the Health Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Fire Service and other departments, inspected the hospital on Thursday.It added that the team examined CCTV footage and records maintained by the emergency department. The footage showed that the injured youth had walked into the emergency department on his own, suggesting that timely treatment could have saved his life, it said.The statement further said that the inspection also found alleged violations of building by-laws, unauthorised construction, deficiencies in the fire safety system, misuse of the basement and serious lapses in adherence to standard operating procedures governing medical protocols.In view of the alleged irregularities and lapses in patient care, the government has decided to initiate action against the hospital and is preparing a detailed inquiry report, it added.
