3 doctors quit AIIMS, more may follow

Three senior doctors from the department of neurosciences at All India Institute of Medical Sciences are resigning this month. Many more are contemplating the same. Jaya Shroff Bhalla reports.

One of the country's best medical institutes in Delhi appears all set for a brain drain.

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Three senior doctors from the department of neurosciences at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are resigning this month. Many more are contemplating the same.

Dr BS Sharma, head of neurosurgery, Dr Aditya Gupta, associate professor of neurosurgery and Dr Sumit Singh, associate professor of neurology, have all put in their papers.

While Dr Sharma cited personal reasons for quitting, Dr Singh, a specialist in muscular disorders, said he was leaving to set up a headache clinic at the Rs 1,000-crore Medicity in Gurgaon.

The 43-acre hi-tech health facility is ostensibly the most advanced in the world and is expected to be start functioning in the next four to six weeks.

“We are getting the best brains in medicine from all over the world, including India. We have spoken to a couple of senior doctors from AIIMS,” said Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman of Global Healthcare Limited.

AIIMS insiders said Medicity was luring the best medical brains in the country with not only lucrative pay packets but also a lot of independence to set up specialised clinics.

“Offers have been coming in for several years now, but this just seemed to be the most appropriate offer as I have moved to Gurgaon and commuting to Medicity will be very easy. This way, I can make the best use of my time,” said Dr Singh, who will be at AIIMS till September end.

Among other senior doctors who have got offers from the private sector and are contemplating on quitting are Dr K.K. Handa, professor, department of ear-nose -throat (ENT), Dr Sandeep Guleria, additional professor, department of surgery, and Dr Sudhir Gupta, associate professor in the department of forensic medicine. All the three doctors refused to comment.

“The working environment at AIIMS is no longer what it used to be. One can’t complain about the pay — it is reasonably good — but there is a lot of interference from the administration,” said Dr S. Gupta, who is also considering quitting.

Dr Manoj Singh, president of the faculty association at AIIMS, said dissatisfaction was a big factor. “AIIMS is no longer a desirable place to work. It is time something is done before more people quit for the private sector because of professional dissatisfaction,” he said.