NEW DELHI: Days after his visit to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday wrote letters to Delhi chief minister Atishi and Union health minister JP Nadda, urging immediate intervention to address the dire conditions faced by patients outside the facility.
In his letter to Atishi, Gandhi expressed his concern for the patients’ well-being, writing, “I was saddened to see hundreds of patients and their family members huddled on the footpath and subway in the bitter winter cold, with only thin blankets to protect them, without drinking water or sanitation facilities.”
He added that no one should have to endure such hardship, especially while already battling serious medical conditions. He called on the Delhi government to provide urgent relief, including heating, bedding, water, and shelter for the patients seeking care at AIIMS. Gandhi also recommended exploring long-term solutions, such as expanding the facility’s accommodation to better support patients.
In his letter to Union health minister JP Nadda, Gandhi further stressed the overburdened nature of AIIMS, which is struggling to meet the needs of millions of Indians who do not have access to affordable and quality healthcare. “The sharp rise in the costs of private healthcare also deserves detailed scrutiny,” he noted, urging the government to strengthen public healthcare infrastructure and reduce the financial burden on patients.
He also called for the new AIIMS facilities across the country to be operationalised as soon as possible, adding that the expansion of these facilities was essential for meeting the growing demand for medical services.
During his visit, Gandhi had observed hundreds of patients and their families huddled on footpaths and subways in the freezing cold, with limited protection from the elements. These patients, many of whom have traveled long distances and spent their life savings, were waiting for medical care at one of India’s premier institutions.
In a social media post following his visit, Gandhi described the scene as “heart-wrenching.” Patients and their families were forced to sleep on the streets in the bitter cold, with little more than thin blankets to shield them from the elements. Many of these individuals had traveled from distant states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam, in the hope of receiving treatment, only to find themselves waiting for months with no adequate facilities or shelter.
During his visit, Gandhi met with several patients, including a 13-year-old girl suffering from blood cancer, whose father expressed frustration over the lack of timely treatment. “We arrived here on 3 December and there has not been proper treatment since then,” said Pawan Kumar, whose daughter was being treated at the hospital.
In his letters, Gandhi reiterated his call for prompt intervention, stressing that both the Delhi and central governments must work together to alleviate the suffering of patients and their families.
