“Direction” from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: make sure there is never a shortage of medications

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal allegedly received directives from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) urging him to address the lack of medications and diagnostic tests at hospitals and mohalla clinics in the nation’s capital, according to Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday.

The alleged directive was sent days after the chief minister gave water minister Atishi instructions to address sewage and water-related issues in certain parts of the city.

Speaking at a news conference, Bharadwaj stated that Kejriwal’s first goal has always been healthcare and that, even though he is in ED custody, he is worried about the lack of free diagnostic testing and medication at state-run health institutions.
In government hospitals, thousands of individuals are reliant on free medications. The health minister said, “He (Kejriwal) has given me a directive, and his command is God’s order to us.
In connection with the excise policy issue, the ED detained Kejriwal on March 21 and placed him under investigation under the agency’s care until March 28.
The AAP has insisted that he would stay Delhi’s chief minister in spite of his incarceration. According to party officials, all lawmakers, municipal council members, and office holders met on Sunday and reiterated that Kejriwal would continue to lead the Delhi government while incarcerated.
However, the Delhi BJP said that the CM could not lawfully compose notes or letters while in ED custody without a judge’s approval and that the ministers need to cease misrepresenting Kejriwal’s incarceration as an indication that he was giving orders on matters of governance.
A special court placed CM Arvind Kejriwal under the custody of the investigative agency. He is armed with solicitors. The BJP MLA and spokesman Abhay Verma said, “He can seek clarification regarding the constitutional validity of his so-called notes and letters to ministers, which are all illegal under the law.”
The head of the BJP’s media department, Praveen Shankar Kapoor, went on to say that Bharadwaj’s press conference demonstrated that the government hospitals in Delhi did, in fact, lack both pathology test capabilities and medications. He said, “It is self-admission of the Delhi government’s inability to provide health services.”
On Wednesday, the government of Delhi also scheduled a special session of the legislative assembly to discuss the problem of the city’s healthcare system. Bharadwaj said he has requested chief secretary Naresh Kumar to provide information on the availability of free medications and free pathological testing at the city’s hospitals and mohalla clinics, posting the list of businesses on social media.
He went on, “The chief secretary has been instructed to develop a comprehensive action plan to address any shortages of free medications.”
In a similar vein, he must devise a strategy in the event that free testing is unavailable. In his tweet, Bharadwaj said, “I will update the House on the status of both items during the assembly proceedings.”
According to sources, AAP MLAs will bring up Kejriwal’s incarceration in addition to the health concerns, characterising it as “the BJP’s attempt to stop the people of Delhi from getting world-class facilities.”.
Due to Kejriwal’s detention the day before, the legislature decided to postpone its special session, which was originally slated for March 22.