New Delhi: The AIIMS-Delhi has reversed its decision to shut its OPD services till 2:30 pm on Monday in view of the ‘pran-pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony at Ram temple in Ayodhya,
“The outpatient department shall remain open to attend to patients with appointments in order to prevent any inconvienience to them,” an official statement said on Sunday.
The premier health institute had come under fire for its half-day closure decision, with many pointing out that patients wait for weeks, and sometimes, months to get an appointment and shutting the OPD would severely inconvenience them, especially to those who travelled from outside Delhi.
Leaders of opposition parties had criticised the decision of all four central government-run hospitals, including AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia hospitals, in New Delhi, to remain closed, barring critical and emergency services which will be functional, till 2.30pm on January 22, aligning with the nationwide celebration of the grand event in Ayodhya. They alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “desperation for cameras & PR” was being prioritised before people’s lives.
Reacting to the notification, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, on social media X (formally Twitter), said, “Hello humans. Please don’t go into a medical emergency on 22nd , and if you do schedule it for post 2pm since AIIMS Delhi is taking time off to welcome Maryada Purushottam Ram.”
Former Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “AIIMS: Shuts down OPD on January 22nd until 2.30 pm. In Ram Rajya, this would have never happened!”
TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale hit out at the Centre while highlighting the plight of individuals sleeping in the cold outside AIIMS premises waiting for an appointment. “India’s largest govt hospital AIIMS Delhi will remain closed till 2:30 pm on Monday. There’s literally people sleeping outside in the cold at AIIMS gates waiting for an appointment. The poor & dying can wait because priority is given to Modi’s desperation for cameras and PR,” Gokhale said in a post.
