Over 1400 posts lying vacant at Delhi AIIMS, reveals RTI

New Delhi: While replying to a Right to Information (RTI), the premier health institute the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, stated that around 363 posts of doctors/faculty members and 1,055 posts of paramedical staff are lying vacant against a total of 1,207 sanctioned posts of doctors/faculty members, and 8,225 posts of paramedical staff. 

The premier institute, known for providing specialised treatment to patients across the country is reeling under a major shortage of staff with over 1,400 posts lying vacant.

The data was revealed when a TOI correspondent filed an RTI query. The data has come as a shocking revelation since a large number of posts are lying vacant in one of the busiest institutes in the country.

According to the data revealed by the chief public information officers of the faculty and recruitment cells of AIIMS-Delhi, a total of 40 doctors/assistant professors, 31 nursing officers and one medical physicist are working on a contractual basis in 24 departments of the premier institute. Out of over 40 departments and speciality centres, none have the required number of doctors, revealed the data.

Earlier, the union health ministry revealed in the parliament session in February that of the total 27,483 vacancies, 23,025 positions have not been filled in 14 AIIMS across the country. 

The data also revealed the number of posts lying vacant in each department of the faculty. According to the information provided, the major departments with vacant posts of faculty members include -- obstetrics and gynaecology department (12 vacancies), paediatrics (10), anatomy (7), haematology (6), emergency medicine (5), pathology (5), gastroenterology and human nutrition (4), pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine (4), physiology (4), pharmacology (4), radio-diagnosis and interventional radiology (4), surgical disciplines (4), urology (3), microbiology (3), otorhinolaryngology (3), anesthesiology (2), biostatics (2), dermatology and venereology (2), geriatric medicine (2), nephrology (2), nuclear medicine (2), orthopaedics (2), gastrointestinal surgery and liver transplantation (2).

Also read- Shortage Of Faculty: Health Ministry Mulls Recruitment At 18 New AIIMS

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the centre is mulling introducing centralised recruitment for faculty and non-faculty at 18 new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the smooth functioning of these institutes.

Around 44 per cent of the faculty posts are lying vacant in 18 new AIIMS, with AIIMS Rajkot having the lowest with just 40 faculties out of the sanctioned 183 seats, the ministry told the Lok Sabha last year.

AIIMS Rajkot is followed by AIIMS Vijaypur and AIIMS Gorakhpur having the lowest number of faculties as against the number of sanctioned posts.

According to the ministry’s data, of the sanctioned posts of 4,026, only 2,259 posts have been filled in the 18 new AIIMS.

A committee comprising Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog; Additional Secretary, PMSSY, Ministry of Health; and Director, AIIMS, New Delhi has been constituted in this regard.

Based on the RTI information, the maximum number of vacant posts (70) are at the mother and child care unit which was partially opened in July last year.

The data of speciality centres operated by the hospital shows the availability of 14 vacancies at the cardio-thoracic centre. These include seven posts for cardiologists and four for cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons.

Meanwhile, the centre for dental education and research has 10 vacant posts and the neuro-sciences centre has 14 openings. These include five posts for neurologists and three for neurosurgeons. The surgical unit has a total of 13 vacant positions for doctors.

Other institutes under AIIMS

At the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, six posts including five for ophthalmologists have not been filled. Two posts are vacant at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and nine at the plastic, burn and reconstructive surgery unit.

Dr BRA Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital has around 21 faculty positions available. These include four posts for radiation oncology, medical oncology (4) and surgical oncology (3).

At the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, a total of 35 faculty posts are lying vacant. These include 10 posts for trauma surgery, neuro-surgery (7) and surgical clinical care (6). Administered by AIIMS Delhi, the National Cancer Institute in the Jhajjar district of Haryana has 52 vacancies.

Also read- AIIMS Delhi, PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Rishikesh Designated Centre Of Excellence For Using AI For Healthcare