New Delhi, March 18 (IANS): Private hospitals here will have to fill at least 80 percent of their beds earmarked for the poor, failing which they will face action, the AAP-led government said on Wednesday.

At a press conference, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said private hospitals were saving at least Rs.75 crore each ever year by keeping these beds vacant.

"Private hospitals will have to ensure that at least 80 percent occupancy of EWS (economic weaker section) beds. Below that will unacceptable to the state government," Jain said.

Jain said in Delhi's all 41 private hospitals there are 623 beds for free treatment of poor patients but 50 percent of these remain vacant due to various reasons.

The occupancy at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital - with 239 beds reserved for poor - was as low as of 10 percent, the minister told reporters.

"From now, patients from the government hospitals will be referred to these 41 private hospitals for the EWS beds, so that there is no confusion and private hospitals cannot offer any excuse to deny admission to such patients."

"The health department has decided to strictly enforce the concept of Patient Welfare Officers in private hospitals to send daily reports about the number of vacant EWS beds in private hospitals," an official statement said later.

The department has decided to appoint 85 Patient Welfare Officers who will be the representatives of the government in private hospitals, it added.