Huge variation in data of surgeries reported by AIIMS, ministry: Panel

New Delhi: In a shocking revelation, it has come to the notice of the Parliamentary Committee that four of the six AIIMS that was started during the regime of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee has 'underreported' their data of surgeries conducted by them.

According to the findings of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, it has come to the light that four institutes of the national importance — AIIMS Patna, Jodhpur, Rishikesh and Raipur — have reported lesser number of surgeries whereas the data of surgeries — both major and minor — submitted by the Health Ministry is much higher than that of the institutes.

"The number of surgeries performed in 2018 in AIIMS Jodhpur, Patna, Rishikesh and Raipur do not correspond to the data provided by the respective AIIMS and the Health Ministry," the Committee said in its report.

The Parliamentary panel, which is headed by Ram Gopal Yadav, further stated that several discrepancies have been observed in many cases in most of the AIIMS.

"As per the data provided by the ministry, the total number of surgeries (major and minor) performed in AIIMS-Patna till September 2018 is 4,224 whereas the institute has submitted that it conducted a total of 3,174 major and minor surgeries till November 2018," the panel observed in its report. There is a variation of 1,050 surgeries.

"Similarly, in case of AIIMS Rishikesh, the ministry submitted that 5,017 major and 5,836 minor surgeries have been conducted till September 2018 whereas the data provided by the institute states that 3,278 major and 4,153 minor surgeries have been conducted by the institute," the panel said. The difference is of 1,739 in major surgeries and 1,683 in minor surgeries.

Explaining about the huge discrepancies in data reporting, a senior AIIMS faculty said, "Given that doctors at these AIIMS are 'underpaid' and they also run their private clinics, There is a possibility of them conducting private surgeries at their respective AIIMS."

"The ministry officials must have reported data on the basis of entries in the surgery register, while the institutes must have reported their 'actual' surgeries, excluding the surgeries conducted by doctors on their private patients," the faculty said.

When contacted, AIIMS-Raipur Director Nitin M Nagarkar said, "We will check it and then reply on the issue."