Niti Aayog may prescribe major revamp of AIIMS Delhi, Health News, ET HealthWorld

New Delhi: The Niti Aayog is likely to suggest a major revamp of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, including a significant expansion to enable it to offer clinical services at multiple locations in the National Capital Region.

The move is aimed at reducing the load on existing infrastructure and freeing doctors for medical research, said a senior government official.

This will ensure the premier institute attends to only critical and trauma cases, as well as reduce the waiting time for other critical procedures, said the official, who did not wish to be identified. On an average, the AIIMS, Delhi gets about 7,200 patients daily at its out-patient department (OPD) and 400-500 patients at casualty.

Niti Aayog member VK Paul-led committee, set up for the purpose, is examining the existing systems and processes at the AIIMS and will soon prepare a blueprint of the recommended reforms, along with specific timelines for their implementation, to make the health services provided at the institute equivalent to global standards.

It will submit its report to the health ministry in the second half of this year, outlining short-term, medium-term and long-term policy interventions.

According to the official, the committee is considering using the existing underutilised or unutilised infrastructure of other government hospitals and maybe even private hospitals to run the OPD at the AIIMS.

“All aspects are being considered to ensure quality of service and that medical care is not compromised. A final decision will be taken by the committee,” said the official.

A medical practitioner, who is part of the stakeholder consultation, said patient load at the AIIMS needs to be reduced at all levels while governance reforms need to be put in place to raise the standards of the institute.

“However, the idea of spreading OPDs outside of AIIMS will only succeed if there is a strict monitoring mechanism in place to ensure everyone in need of medical care or advice is catered as is done at AIIMS,” the person said on condition of anonymity.