Guwahati: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Guwahati, inaugurated with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, 2023, is facing a critical challenge in delivering comprehensive healthcare services due to significant faculty and non-faculty staff shortages, compounded by a lack of essential infrastructure and equipment.
The institute, situated in Changsari on the outskirts of Guwahati, is struggling to fulfill its mandate as a premier healthcare provider in the Northeast.
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According to recent data from the Union Health Ministry, AIIMS Guwahati has only filled 105 out of 185 sanctioned faculty positions, leaving 78 posts (44%) vacant.
The situation is even more dire in non-faculty roles, with 769 vacancies out of 1410 sanctioned positions, representing a 55% shortfall. Currently, the hospital operates with just 641 non-faculty staff members.
This substantial deficit in faculty is severely impacting the institute’s ability to provide specialized medical care and conduct crucial research.
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Reports also indicated a lack of essential equipment and instruments in the emergency department, forcing critical patients to be referred to other hospitals, such as Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
Further, AIIMS Guwahati currently lacks a functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and operates with only two operational theaters. The inpatient department (IPD) has a limited capacity of 200 beds, restricting the hospital’s ability to accommodate patients with various diseases.
This deficiency has resulted in a concerning trend where patients arriving in critical condition are frequently referred to other healthcare facilities, most notably the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). This referral practice raises serious concerns about the institute’s ability to handle emergency cases effectively and provide timely, life-saving interventions.
AIIMS Guwahati Executive Director Ashok Puranik acknowledged these issues, stating plans to establish 50 ICU beds and increase the number of operating theaters.
He attributed the difficulty in recruiting healthcare professionals from outside the state to commutation challenges, given the institute’s location in Changsari, on the outskirts of Guwahati.
The facility, the first AIIMS in Northeast India, was launched with POD (Primary Outpatient Department) services. The current state of affairs raises concerns about its ability to deliver comprehensive healthcare services to the region.