Delhi AIIMS responds to Rahul Gandhi's video, says Only One Attendant per Patient Allowed

New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, issued a statement on Friday clarifying its policy on patient attendants, emphasizing that only one attendant is allowed per patient. The clarification follows a video shared on social media, in which Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is seen interacting with patients and their families outside the institute, sparked concerns about the conditions at the premier health facility.

As per the recent media report by The Statesman, the AIIMS statement substantiating the assumption reads, “A video showing the plight of patients awaiting treatment is being circulated on X, along with the interview of one attendant whose patient is admitted in AIIMS, Delhi. In this regard, it is submitted that the video is that of the subway outside AIIMS which is manned by the Delhi police, and does not qualify whether all patients shown therein belong to AIIMS Delhi.”

The statement from AIIMS emphasized that the hospital’s official policy allows only one attendant for each patient, a measure intended to ensure a streamlined and organized hospital environment. However, AIIMS also noted provisions for attendants of patients waiting for treatment in the Vishram Sadans, which offer temporary accommodation based on the availability of beds.

Currently, there are four Vishram Sadans with a total capacity of 1,500 beds, of which 559 are available on the main campus. Additionally, the hospital has also taken the initiative to move patients awaiting registration to a temporary shelter called ‘Aashrey’.

The institution stated that if patients are found staying on the footpath outside AIIMS, they are relocated to a shelter at night, where they are provided with food, bedding, blankets, and separate toilet facilities for males and females.

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According to the Statesman, the institution said, “After the night stay, these patients are taken to the hospital in the morning and their priority in the registration is honored. This has been a humanitarian gesture from the AIIMS since December 2024 adopted in view of the extreme cold in the national capital. Only those patients who are willing to go to Aashrey are transported.”

Furthermore, AIIMS also announced plans to expand its infrastructure with the construction of a new mega Vishram Sadan at Ansari Nagar West, which will have a capacity of 2,000 beds. This expansion aims to further accommodate the needs of patients and their attendants in the future.