AIIMS Delhi plans 800-bed extension at NDMC’s Shanti Path hospital

Officials said that this facility will act as an extended campus for AIIMS, where patients who are not critically ill, will be admitted. The terms of staffing and resources are yet to be finalised between AIIMS and NDMC.

To increase bed capacity and improve patient care, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has partnered with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to acquire an under-construction 800-bed multispeciality hospital in south Delhi’s Moti Bagh, which will be used as an extended campus of the apex institute, AIIMS officials said on Tuesday.

AIIMS, despite being a premier government medical facility in the country, faces a major shortage of beds. (PTI)

Senior administrative officials of AIIMS confirmed that they are in talks with the NDMC to acquire an under-construction hospital near Shanti Path, which will be managed by AIIMS as an extended care facility for non-emergency patients. This, officials said, will decrease the bed shortage in the institute.

“We have had a few rounds of meetings with NDMC officials to discuss the terms of how the facility will be managed and what support the council will be able to provide us with. We have been assured that hopefully in a year, we will be able to open this facility for the public,” said a senior official of AIIMS.

The official said that this facility will act as an extended campus for AIIMS, where patients who are not critically ill, will be admitted. The terms of staffing and resources are yet to be finalised between AIIMS and NDMC, officials said.

On Tuesday, a final meeting was held between AIIMS director Dr M Srinivas and NDMC secretary Dr Ankita Chakravarty to discuss the nitty-gritty of the arrangement, people aware of the matter said.

AIIMS, despite being a premier government medical facility in the country, faces a major shortage of beds. Earlier this month, the institute attracted criticism after the family of a 74-year-old woman claimed that she died while waiting for treatment for nearly five hours because of the shortage of beds. The family said that the doctors at AIIMS did not attend to the woman for hours claiming lack of space, and her lungs collapsed.

Doctors at the hospital said that the move to augment beds will be a major boon for patients, who often have to brave long queues to get admission. Latest estimates show that AIIMS sees a daily footfall of around 10,000 patients from across the country.

NDMC officials also confirmed the pact between the council and AIIMS, and said that the site of the new “state-of-the-art multispeciality hospital” earlier housed a veterinary hospital, staff quarters and a school, which have been shifted to make way for the hospital building.

AIIMS plans to take over more hospitals

Senior officials of AIIMS said that the administration is also considering similar arrangements with the Delhi government. There are plans to take over a 200-bed Delhi government hospital in Burari, the foundation stone for which was laid during the Congress regime. There are also talks to manage NDMC’s Charak Palika Hospital.

“These plans are in a nascent stage. The complete plan will be shared once there is clarity,” an AIIMS official said.