AIIMS : The director of the premier government hospital in the nation withdrew the letter he had written outlining the special preparations made for MPs and those that they had suggested. The “VIP culture” had been criticised by medical groups and campaigners, but the institution had countered that they were only the MPs’ SOPs, or Standing Operating Procedures.
The AIIMS further tweeted that it has “always had a 24×7 control room for co-ordination of medical care of patients from all walks of life”, adding that staff is deployed to “expedite treatment for poorest of the poor”.
At the overworked AIIMS, large crowds and lengthy lines are commonplace, and it can sometimes take hours to get a consultation card for OPD. The Emergency is frequently stretched to its bounds as well.
AIIMS authorities clarify their stance
In a letter that has subsequently been withdrawn, the director of AIIMS recommended simplifying MP-specific hospitalisation, emergency consultation, and outpatient department (OPD) services. One of its eleven recommendations was that ” referred to AIIMS by MPs “will be provided due assistance by the Media and Protocol Division”.
According to Dr. M. Srinivas’ letter to Y.M. Kandpal, if the MP requires OPD consultation, their staff merely needs to discuss the specifics with the AIIMS duty officer. The doctor will then be contacted by the duty officer to schedule the appointment, it stated. It said, “In case it is so required, we can speak to the Chief of Centre or Head of the concerned department as well.”
The letter said that an emergency call-the-duty-officer special service is available.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association, or FORDA, reacted angrily to it.”The only VIP culture we know is this — the more a patient is critical , the more she or he is a VIP for us. This order should be withdrawn,” added Dr. Sarvesh Pandey, General Secretary of FORDA and employee of a different Delhi government hospital.
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