Delhi Govt mulls AIIMS-like Delhi Institute of Medical Sciences, plans to merge 4 hospitals

New Delhi: The Delhi government is considering a proposal to merge four major hospitals in northeast Delhi into an autonomous multi-speciality hospital on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), in a move aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the Trans-Yamuna region.

The proposal, prepared by an expert committee under the Delhi Health Department, suggests bringing Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) under a single umbrella institution to be named the Delhi Institute of Medical Sciences. 

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Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently chaired a meeting to discuss the proposal, which was also attended by Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and senior officials. Sources said the new institution could operate with an autonomous governance structure similar to AIIMS and may span hundreds of acres.

The move is expected to improve access to specialised treatment and expand the scope of medical education and research. “The objective is to ensure hassle-free healthcare facilities for the public, while also reducing the burden on GTB Hospital, which currently sees around 10,000 patients every day,” a senior government official said. The official added, “Such an integration would help optimise faculty, infrastructure, and paramedical resources across the institutes.” Under the proposal, the government is also considering constructing an underground tunnel to enable safe public movement between the hospitals, according to the Indian Express.

GTB Hospital, run by the Delhi government, is affiliated with the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) and serves as a training centre for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Staff includes doctors from the Central Health Services cadre as well as the Delhi government’s non-teaching specialist cadre. Officials said the integration plan would increase postgraduate (PG) seats by pooling teaching posts across hospitals and recruiting more faculty. MBBS seats could also rise, leveraging the academic strength of UCMS and GTB, which other hospitals have struggled to attract so far.

RGSSH and DSCI are society-run hospitals with relatively lower footfall, and most staff there are hired on a contractual basis. An official said that, for instance, RGSSH has around 650 beds, but only about 250 are currently in use, adding that most patients prefer to go to GTB because of its treatment facilities, outpatient department (OPD), and testing services.

The proposal aims to streamline services and help distribute patients to hospitals according to their specialities. It will also allow better use of the infrastructure, staff, and land available at RGSSH, the DSCI, and the IHBAS. “All three hospitals have facilities for cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, orthopaedics, radiation oncology, palliative medicine, anaesthesia, internal medicine, ENT, and general surgery. However, several specialities overlap across these hospitals, leading to duplication of services and scattered resources,” an official said, reports the Indian Express.

Data shared by officials show that GTB Hospital records more than 14 lakh OPD visits annually and around 95,000 inpatient admissions, with all 28 operating theatres functional. In contrast, DSCI sees around 1.27 lakh OPD patients and about 6,600 admissions, with only two of its seven operating theatres operational. RGSSH records about 2.87 lakh OPD visits and roughly 8,700 admissions, with six of its 12 operating theatres functional. Under the proposed plan, RGSSH’s beds may be largely dedicated to super-speciality services, while oncology-related treatments could be centred at DSCI. Certain departments may also be reorganised, with pulmonary medicine potentially shifted to RGSSH and endocrinology services strengthened at GTB Hospital.

The proposal further recommends integrating preclinical and para-clinical departments, such as pathology, microbiology, and biochemistry, at UCMS to support academic and teaching activities. Officials also noted the need for infrastructure upgrades at GTB Hospital, whose main building is about 40 years old. Plans include a new trauma block, ICU building, and renovation of emergency, OPD, IPD, and casualty facilities. New construction may also be undertaken on the available land at IHBAS.

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