Ram Mandir Consecration: Delhi AIIMS rolls back decision, OPD to stay open today

New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will remain open on Monday, reversing its earlier decision to shut OPD services till 2:30 pm on the occasion of the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple. The decision came after facing a severe backlash for taking a half-day off.

"In continuation of the Office Memorandum dated January 20, all clinical services including the Outpatient Services (OPD) shall remain open to prevent any inconvenience to patients and to facilitate patient care services," a fresh office memorandum issued by AIIMS said on Sunday.

On Saturday, an official memorandum by AIIMS, Delhi, had noted that the government has declared a half-day holiday on January 22 because of the Ram temple consecration ceremony.

"It is notified for information of all the employees that the Institute will remain half day closed till 14.30 pm on January 22. All Chiefs of Centres, Heads of the Departments, Units and Branch Officers are requested to bring this to the notice of all staff working under them," it had stated.

The memorandum had also said that critical and emergency services would be functional.

The consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple will take place on Monday.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple, beds were reserved at city-based, district hospitals and the medical college here, and specialists from the AIIMS have provided focused emergency response training to the doctors at healthcare institutions in Ayodhya. These beds have been reserved for the guests, who will attend the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony at the newly-built Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, officials said.