New Delhi: Responding to whether the government has taken note of the complaints of widespread corruption and victimisation of patients through corrupt practices by AIIMS employees, middlemen and brokers, Minister of Health and Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said that 123 middlemen and brokers engaged in the supply of medicines and medical equipment have been identified and handed over to the police by the hospital. The question was raised by MP Dileshwar Kamait from the Supaul Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar.
In a written statement as presented in the Lok Sabha on December 8, Pawar said that two employees were identified and charged-sheeted under Rule 14 of Central Civil Service (CCA) Rules, 1965 for charges of corruption. In AIIMS, Patna, two outsourced employees were found to be engaged in corrupt activities and their services were terminated. Besides, the Vigilance Cell in Patna's AIIMS has also issued a Public Notice to create awareness amongst the people regarding such corrupt practices.
Responding to another query by MP Mahabali Singh Kushwaha from the Karakat constituency relating to misery among patients, who are suffering from heart attacks, nephromegaly and brain tumours have a waiting period of almost six months to one year due to a shortage of beds in AIIMS, New Delhi, Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that New Delhi has 3,231 beds, including 194 beds in Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, for emergency cases.
She also added that to minimise the waiting period of patients, AIIMS, New Delhi, has expanded its facilities by building new speciality centres and blocks like the National Cancer Institute, Surgical Block, OPD Block, Mother & Child Block and National Centre for Ageing.
To correct regional imbalances in the availability of tertiary healthcare services, the setting up of 22 new AIIMS and 75 projects of upgradation of existing Government Medical Colleges/Institutions by way of setting up of super speciality blocks/trauma centres have been approved under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and are at various stages of operationalisation, she pointed out.
Also read: Scientists protest against AIIMS' proposal to limit no. of years one can be employed at research projects
