A punitive overdose

Cancelling a hospital licence does not address a core issue

The cancellation of the licence of a Max Hospitals unit following the uproar over the tragic case of negligence concerning a premature baby has brought into sharp focus all the weaknesses of India’s public health care system. In its keenness to allay public outrage and crack the whip against callous negligence of private hospital authorities, the Delhi government may have taken resort to amateur populism and ended up administering a punishment that inconveniences hundreds of its citizens without addressing the core issue. It is worth noting that Health Minister Satyendra Jain stated that the licence of the hospital in question