Kalyani, May 25: Delays in the recruitment of doctors and licensing of a blood bank have stalled the launching of the much-awaited in-patient department (IPD) services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyani even after the infrastructure is otherwise ready in all respects.
Constructed on a 179-acre land in Basantapur of Kalyani, the premier health institute which began clinical functioning on January 27 last year with limited OPD services required at least 200 doctors of different disciplines for the smooth running of its 31 departments, apart from a blood bank to conduct major surgeries.
AIIMS Kalyani authorities which admitted the first batch of MBBS students in 2019, claimed that recruitment of doctors is going on at present and is expected to be completed within a few months. The licensing of the blood bank will be made available within June, which they think would pave the way for the launching of IPD, sources claimed
At present the union health ministry and the apex authority of the AIIMS titled ‘Institute Body’, are working in close coordination to finalize the launching date of the IPD.
At present AIIMS Kalyani have only 110 doctors, with many departments having only one, which is quite insufficient to run both the OPD and IPD simultaneously, sources said.
“There should be at least 5 doctors for each department for basic functioning, apart from running other services…But there is a big shortage”, a doctor attached to AIIMS Kalyani said.
The issue was raised before the union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan’s two days visit to AIIMS Kalyani on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bhushan accompanied by Bengal health secretary N.S Nigam took stock of the affairs at the AIIMS, which is eagerly waiting for the launching of the IPD wing.
AIIMS Kalyani insiders claimed that the Prime Minister’s Office has directed the Union Health Ministry to accelerate the recruitment process so that the IPD services could be launched latest by the end of this year – well before the next year’s Loke Sabha elections.
Union Health Secretary Bhushan’s two days visit was actually the final call to overcome the drawbacks in preparedness before launching the much-awaited IPD, sources claimed.
Speaking to The NfN, AIIMS Kalyani Executive Director Ramji Singh said, “Our infrastructure for indoor patients’ service is almost ready. Outside infrastructure like the road and drainage is also completed. However, the shortage of manpower mainly doctors comes as the main impediment before us. We are hopeful that the ongoing recruitment of doctors would be completed soon and once the approval from the PMO is conveyed full-fledged functioning would begin”.
“We have begun some indoor functionality like general surgery inside as part of preparedness”, Singh said.
“But to conduct major surgeries we need blood. We are waiting for licensing of the blood bank licensing. Once the blood bank is ready we will start major surgeries. I am hopeful that all these will be completed by June”, he further added.
“We are hopeful to overcome all the shortcomings soon and be able to get at least 200 doctors very soon to make the IPD operation for which people have been waiting eagerly”, Singh added.
The AIIMS authority meanwhile urged the state administration to accelerate the setting up of an independent police station inside its premises to handle the law and order situation due to the surge of daily visitors once the institute becomes fully operation