The Delhi government has cancelled the nursing home registration certificates of four private hospitals for failing to provide mandatory free treatment to patients from economically weaker sections (EWS), Health Minister Pankaj Singh said on Wednesday. The government has not disclosed the names of the hospitals or the hospital-specific reasons for the action.
Under Delhi’s EWS healthcare obligations, identified private hospitals must provide free treatment to eligible patients in at least 25% of outpatient department (OPD) capacity and 10% of inpatient department (IPD) capacity. The registrations were cancelled after the hospitals were found not to have complied with these requirements, according to the report.
The action comes as the Delhi government expands monitoring of the scheme. Authorities are examining monthly compliance reports and carrying out surprise inspections at private hospitals. Medical superintendents have inspected eight hospitals, while monitoring committees have inspected six, the government said. The number of liaison officers overseeing implementation has also been increased from 22 to 39.
The government said more than 18.73 lakh patients received free treatment under the EWS scheme during 2025-26. The reported total included 17,78,938 OPD patients and 94,300 IPD patients. Compared with 2024-25, the number of OPD beneficiaries increased by about 146%, while IPD beneficiaries rose by 125%.
The scheme’s eligibility has also been widened. The annual family income limit for access to the benefit has been increased from Rs 2.20 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. With the addition of Amriks Hospital and Sant Nirankari Health City, the number of identified private hospitals covered by the scheme has risen to 58.
The scale-up makes compliance oversight central to whether the policy translates into actual access. Registration cancellation is the strongest enforcement action reported in this instance, but the government has not provided details of the inspections, the violations recorded at each hospital, or the immediate arrangements for patients who may have been receiving care at the affected facilities.
The dispute over free EWS treatment in Delhi’s private hospitals has also reached the Supreme Court. In January 2026, details of show-cause notices issued to 14 hospitals were placed before the court. The hospitals had reportedly recorded free OPD and IPD treatment levels substantially below the prescribed standards. A compliance report covering 51 hospitals was subsequently presented before the court, according to the report.
The Delhi government has said it is conducting awareness campaigns so that eligible patients know about the scheme. Singh said no eligible patient would be denied treatment because of financial hardship. The next stage of implementation will depend on continued inspections, monthly compliance reviews and the government’s disclosure of further enforcement actions.
