26 September,2011 07:16 AM IST | | Astha Saxena
MiD DAY had reported on September 19 that many female physicians in particular were suffering because of dearth of hostel rooms
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) celebrated its 56th Institute Day on Sunday. Ghulam Nabi Azad, president of the institute and also the minister of health and family welfare, was conspicuous by his absence. Apparently, there are two annual ceremonies when the president of the institute is a part of the celebration, and had never missed it till now - one is the convocation day and the other is the institute day.
No room! All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
Many are attributing this to the hundreds of letters written to the minister in recent days by AIIMS doctors. Around 400 of them have written to Azad, complaining about the acute shortage of hostel rooms on campus. The letters were sent to Azad on Saturday, and there was a proper receiving from his office. After this the minister didn't turn up at the ceremony. The letter dated 24th September is with MiD DAY, which talks about the problems that the doctors are suffering from due to shortage of hostel rooms
Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
Write way
"Around 400 resident doctors from the institute have sent a written letter to the president of AIIMS. We have lost all our hopes as we have been trying since too long. More than 50 per cent of the residents are forced to stay outside the institute, which include women doctor too," said Dr Debjyoti Karmakar, President, Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS.
MiD DAY's pg 1 on September 19.
MiD DAY had highlighted this issue on September 19, and how female doctors were the worst sufferers. 117 women are still staying outside the campus. 50 per cent of the residents at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), men as well as women, are still waiting to get rooms in hostels of the country's premier medical institute. As per data disclosed in an RTI reply, around 500 junior as well as senior residents are in a waiting list to get a roof inside the campus. 598 residents, including juniors and seniors, have been allotted rooms.
Why the delay?
"The institute has been indulging in time wasting tactics over the last seven years and has failed to realise the gravity of the situation. We hope that the president of AIIMS takes urgent remedial action on this issue," added Dr Karmakar.
