Even after 2 yrs of operations, AIIMS Kalyani infra inadequate
KOLKATA: Though the BJP pledged three new AIIMS— in North Bengal, the Sunderbans and Jungle Mahal—in its poll manifesto for the ensuing Assembly polls, the lack of basic infrastructure at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Kalyani, even two years after it started operation, is compelling patients to return untreated from the premier medical institute.
AIIMS, Kalyani was approved under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) by Union Cabinet on October 7 in 2015 amid much fanfare but the Centre failed to provide adequate infrastructure to the institution.
The announcement of 3 new AIIMS in the election manifesto of the BJP has raised many eyebrows in Trinamool Congress, which had called it a 'complete gimmick' to gain votes.
Experts pointed out as to why the BJP has promised similar institutions when the Centre-owned AIIMS at Kalyani runs short of adequate infrastructure.
According to sources, there had been instances when people from different parts of Nadia and other adjoining districts had to return untreated from the premier institution as it failed to cater to their needs. Due to lack of infrastructure, the institution has not been able to start Indoor patient departments (IPDs).
When asked why the IPDs hadn't started yet, the Executive Director of AIIMS, Kalyani, Dr Ramji Singh said: "We cannot start IPDs as we don't have enough manpower. We need more faculties. We do not have sanctioned posts for senior residents. We have urged the Ministry to sanction the posts immediately."
Sources said eight Outpatient departments (OPDs) are currently functioning in AIIMS which includes Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, ENT, Eye, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Dermatology. Even all the eight OPDs cannot perform to its full capacity as in six out of eight disciplines, there is one faculty. As a result at most 100-150 patients can be treated in the OPDs on each day.
"It would take some more time to open other OPDs as we don't have other faculties. In case of eight OPDs, we have been able to select the faculties. For the rest, candidates were selected but they did not join. There are some rulings of the Supreme Court regarding reservation roster as well. Hence, we have stopped the interviews. We will take opinion from the Centre or otherwise we have to go for fresh advertisements," said Executive Director Dr Singh.
He said once the institute gets the permission to hold interviews, the recruitment process will be started. There is no possibility of recruiting more faculties before September-October this year, Dr Singh further pointed out.
