To unclog AIIMS, 6 depts shifted to new OPD block

NEWDELHI: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday shifted the clinics of six of its departments to the new outpatient block at Masjid Moth to decongest the exiting Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur block in the main campus, where nearly 13,000 patients receive consultation every day.

The new 93,000 square metre eight-storey building saw patients from medicine, geriatrics, orthopaedics, psychiatry, dermatology, and endocrinology departments on the first day. These six departments, with high patient load, account for about 20% of the total patient footfall in the hospital OPD.

“The rest of the departments will move to the new facility within the month. The new building will decongest the out-patient clinics. It has also been made disability friendly; there are nine lifts and a ramp till the eighth floor. Apart from that, there are disability-friendly cubicles in the toilet facility on each floor as well,” said Dr Aarti Vij, chairperson, media and protocol division, AIIMS.

Patients visiting the new facility on the first day found the spacious interiors and ample waiting space appealing, although some said reaching the new building was a challenge. The patients also had to go back to the main AIIMS campus to get their medicines.

Rakhi was among a few of the patients with appointments who received a message about the move to the new department.

“I could not find the location on Ola, but an auto driver knew where it was,” she said.

She said she used to feel suffocated in the old building.

The new building has nine lifts and a ramp for patients to go up the eight storeys. There are escalators too, which haven’t started working yet.

“Climbing the stairs was also difficult in the old building because there were so many people, there is no room to even shift left or right. And there are long waits to get into the lift,” said Dayanand Chaurasia, a retired government employee.

On Monday morning, he reached the old OPD as scheduled and had to walk for 15 minutes to reach the new block.

“This is a little far from the old block. But, once I was here I was happy,” he said.

Notices had been put up outside the old OPD block informing patients of the move.

“The new building is good, but it is not possible to walk to the old building, so now I have to wait for the e-vehicle and then wait again at the pharmacy,” said Narayan.

“These are all teething troubles. There is some touch-up work that is going on. Within the month, the rest of the departments along with pharmacy etc will move to the new facility and patients will face no problems,” said a senior official from the hospital administration.