Lack of communication between AIIMS, govt.: HC

‘AIIMS not accessible to common man’

The Delhi High Court has remarked that there is lack of communication protocol between AIIMS and the Delhi government that led to several of its patients who tested positive for COVID-19 being shifted to other Delhi government hospitals instead of the COVID-19 facility at AIIMS.

The court said that these 20-odd patient were already receiving treatment for other ailments at AIIMS, when they were shifted to the Delhi government hospitals.

During the hearing, Delhi government’s standing counsel Rahul Mehra “raised the grievance that AIIMS is not within the access of the common man”. “AIIMS is turning away the COVID-19-positive patients unless they are well-connected and influential.”

Advocate Anand Varma, who appeared for AIIMS, countered saying AIIMS admits any person who reports at the emergency and is found COVID-19-positive, and in case the person requires hospitalisation, and home quarantine is not sufficient to deal with his condition.

The government, in its affidavit, stated that due to the inability to contact the AIIMS authorities at the relevant time, patients were shifted to Lok Nayak Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital. AIIMS disputed this position and stated that nobody from the Delhi government contacted any of its officer. AIIMS also said it has taken a policy decision as per which the more serious cases of COVID-19 are treated at the Trauma Centre, whereas the milder cases are shifted to the Jhajjhar Facility.

The court said the issue can be resolved by both AIIMS and the Delhi government nominating nodal officers, whose contact details, including email ids and mobile phone numbers should be exchanged between them.