Part 9: Delhi, UP & Northern India

North India has the highest concentration of central government hospitals (AIIMS Delhi, Safdarjung, RML, LHMC) but also has some of India's most stressed state healthcare systems. Here's how to navigate it.

Delhi: A Hub of Central Hospitals

• AIIMS New Delhi — India's #1. OPD ₹10. Emergency free. Patients from across India.
• Safdarjung Hospital — Free OPD, free emergency, free surgery. Burns & Trauma.
• RML Hospital — Free OPD. General medicine & surgery.
• LHMC (Lady Hardinge) — Women & children. Free.
• GB Pant Hospital — Cardiac care. Free/subsidized.
• Delhi Government Hospitals (GTB, LNJP, DDU) — Delhi residents get completely free treatment at Delhi state hospitals. All medicines and tests free.

Uttar Pradesh:

• KGMU Lucknow — Premier medical college. Subsidized treatment.
• BHU Medical College (IMS-BHU), Varanasi — Central university. Excellent for general medicine.
• AIIMS Gorakhpur, Rae Bareli — Newer AIIMS campuses.
• UP Ayushman scheme — Converged with PM-JAY. ₹5 Lakh coverage.

Other Northern States:

• PGIMER, Chandigarh — #2 in India. Serves Punjab, Haryana, HP, J&K.
• AIIMS Rishikesh — Uttarakhand. Trauma and emergency.
• IGMC Shimla — HP's premier govt hospital.
• SMGS Hospital, Jammu — Major govt hospital for J&K.

Key Schemes:

• CGHS — Central Government Health Scheme. For central govt employees and pensioners. Covers treatment at empanelled private and govt hospitals.
• ESI — Employees' State Insurance. For factory/establishment workers earning up to ₹21,000/month. Completely free treatment at ESI hospitals.

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Next: Part 10 — Maharashtra, Gujarat & Western India