NEW DELHI : Top Central government medical institutes and hospitals, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital, where thousands of patients across the country receive treatment, will remain shut for a half-day on January 22.
According to official orders issued by the Centre-run hospitals medical services like OPDs, radiology, diagnostic labs and in-house pharmacy stores will be closed for a fixed-time period. However, emergency services will run as usual.
The orders cited direction issued by the Centre’s Department of Personnel Training (DOPT). “…as Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated across India. It is notified for information of all the employees that the Institute will remain half day closed till 14.30 hrs on 22.01.2024. 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,” a memorandum issued by AIIMS read.
At Safdarjung and Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), the counters to register patients for OPD consultation will be open only for two hours from 8 to 10 am . On normal days, the registration counters are functional from 8 am to 1 pm.
“Registration Timing of OPD Services on 22.01.2024 (Monday) will be from 08:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Lab Services / Radiological Services will be available till 11:30 AM. Pharmacy services will be running till 12:00 Noon. Elective OTs will remain closed,” according to an official order.
When approached, LHMC Director Dr Subhash Giri confirmed the order and said the hospital will celebrate cultural programmes and live screening of the consecration ceremony with the college students.
When asked what will happen to the appointments of the patients during the closed time, AIIMS spokesperson Prof Rima Dada told this newspaper that all appointments are being rescheduled. “If any patients come we will try to accommodate them,” the spokesperson added.
However, no clarification was given how and where the hospital will “accommodate” patients when the OPD will stay shut. The move is being criticized as these Central hospitals together handle a footfall of over 30,000 patients on a daily basis, mostly who are poor and hapless. Majority of them take appointments in advance from different parts of the country and travel accordingly. Such patients are likely to miss their date and wait for their next appointment.
Meat association urges traders to keep shops shut
Delhi Meat Merchant Association general secretary Irshad Qureshi has appealed to all traders selling meat and fish to close their shops on January 22 in honour of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. The motive behind the request is to promote unity and harmony between the two communities, Qureshi said.