Stray canines, simians wreak havoc on AIIMS campus, doctors helpless

The stray dogs and monkeys in and around All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) are now attacking doctors and patients.

Moreover, the monkey menace is creating an obstruction in medical operation as a barrel of monkeys nearly damaged an emergency oxygen tank.

The monkeys held onto the pipes of the oxygen tank situated near the dental unit and shook them vigorously which caused it to leak.

Following this, there was an immense amount of smoke accumulation in the area.

While the institute managed to take control of the situation, the monkeys are nowhere near being policed as their nuisance continues, said sources.

These stray monkeys are often seen loitering in and around AIIMS campus. Anupam Kumar (name changed), a security guard posted outside the boys' hostel said that the monkeys come in troops of 30-40 and mainly trouble the women.

"They are a complete nuisance. They usually come together and since they are so many of them, they are uncontrollable.

They don't bite anyone but they target women and snatch food from them. They also slap people who are walking here," said Kumar.

Officials at the hospital stated that their hands are bound.

"We can't do anything to these monkeys and stray dogs. To control these monkeys and dogs painful procedures have to be used.

One cannot control them otherwise and we are not allowed to use painful procedures on them because it's against the law. Thus, they are creating havoc in front of our eyes," said an AIIMS official.

On May 31, 2017, Dr. Kavita Sharma was bitten by a dog outside the boys' hostel, at gate number 7.

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

Dr. Vijay Gurjar, President, AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association, Delhi, has requested the hospital authorities to pay due attention to the matter.

Dr. Gurjar, in a letter, has stated that dogs and monkeys are not only snatching eatables and valuable things but are also biting resident doctors and patients. "Most of the cases of biting and attacks are under-reported and this issue cannot be ignored," added Dr. Gurjar.