Stray dog, monkey menace: AIIMS doctors urge PM to intervene

Doctors and patients at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) reeling under menace of stray dog and monkey have finally requested Prime Minister to intervene.

All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while urging him to 'save' the doctors and students of the country's premier medical institute from the menace of monkey and stray dogs inside the hospital campus.

The doctors and students were facing problems due to the animals on the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campus, stated a letter written to the Prime Minister by the office-bearers of the RDA.

Even the patients were being troubled by the monkeys, which often snatched food from them, said the letter signed by RDA president Dr Vijay Gurjar and general secretary Dr Harjeet Singh.

The letter further said there was a "continuous threat" of being bitten by the monkeys and stray dogs, as a result of which academics, as well as the "psychological status" of the doctors and students, were being affected.

"The AIIMS administration and we are feeling helpless and that is why we have written to you as a last hope," it added.

Moreover, Dr Vijay said, "This is very unfortunate that monkeys are creating nuisance in hospital as well as residents hostel premises."

He also said that recently they have bitten three residents in coffee shop area while residents were sitting quietly.

"We are not anti-animals but we also need safe working environment, monkeys are snatching documents and eatables from the patients also in the hospital area. So, not only doctors but patients are also living under continuous fear of getting bitten by monkeys and dogs. We at AIIMS are facing these incidents on daily basis without any compensation. It's not just hampering our academics but our psychological status," Dr

Vijay said.

The recent case of a dog biting a doctor came to light on May 31, 2017, when Dr Kavita Sharma was bitten by a dog outside the boys' hostel, at gate number 7.

She has mentioned in a letter to the deputy superintendent, community medicine centre that the dog that bit her died after few days. She has urged the deputy director to pay urgent attention to the menace.