New Delhi: The Delhi health department has issued an order appointing three officers to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) to oversee routine administrative and financial matters in the absence of the DGHS director.
Event Context
Presently, the DGHS is looking after the matters of the DMC after the latter was dissolved by the former Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, following allegations of irregularities in administrative and financial services.
The appointments come amid complaints of delays in the DMC’s delivery of services, including registering doctors in Delhi, issuing no-objection and good-standing certificates, and handling complaints of professional misconduct.
Registration with the council is mandatory for doctors to legally practise medicine in Delhi, join hospitals, pursue higher education, apply for government positions, or seek employment abroad.
In an order dated Tuesday, seen by HT, the health department stated that during the absence of the DGHS chief, the medical director of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital will serve as the first link officer, followed by the medical superintendent of Dr Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan and the medical superintendent of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital.
Since the council’s dissolution, former DGHS chief Dr Rati Makkar was first appointed interim registrar, followed by ex-DGHS head Dr Vatsala Aggarwal. DGHS head Dr Sushma Jain is currently holding the post.
In recent months, the council’s functioning has sparked multiple protests by Delhi doctors and foreign medical graduates (FMGs), who have alleged delays in registration, licensing, and other regulatory approvals.
“I have applied for permanent registration at DMC on May 19, 2025. It’s been more than a year. It is still pending,” said a doctor, requesting anonymity.
Another doctor said, “I have been waiting to get my registration licence from DMC since February 2026. I have gone to the DMC multiple times, and each time they only tell me that I will get the licence very soon.”
