New Delhi: July 09, 2026
Raising serious concerns over the prolonged non-utilisation of expensive medical equipment in government hospitals, the Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to conduct a comprehensive audit of all such machines across its hospitals. The court observed that keeping high-value medical equipment unused for years results in a significant loss of public funds and affects healthcare services.
The observations came during the hearing of a petition concerning the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), where a PET Cyclotron machine, procured for advanced cancer diagnosis, has reportedly remained non-functional for years.
A division bench comprising Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Manmeet P.S. Arora noted that the machine, purchased at a cost of around Rs. 15.42 crore, has remained unused due to a combination of administrative delays, shortage of specialist doctors and pending approvals. The court remarked that such situations reflect poor utilisation of public resources and called for immediate corrective measures.
To assess the extent of the problem, the High Court directed the medical superintendents of all Delhi government hospitals to submit detailed affidavits identifying medical equipment that is currently lying unused. The reports must include the date of purchase, cost, intended purpose, reasons for non-utilisation and the steps proposed to make the equipment operational. The court instructed that these reports be filed at least five days before the next hearing.
During the proceedings, Amicus Curiae Ashok Agarwal informed the court that the PET Cyclotron machine was installed in September 2017 but has remained non-operational since April 2022 because of the absence of trained specialists. It was also submitted that the machine’s licence expired in February 2024 and is yet to be renewed.
Representing DSCI, Medical Oncology Department Head Dr. Pragya Shukla informed the court that the delay in restarting the facility was primarily due to a shortage of specialised manpower and pending administrative clearances.
The High Court’s direction is expected to trigger a wider review of medical infrastructure across Delhi’s government hospitals and ensure that costly healthcare equipment is put to effective use for patient care rather than remaining idle.
