BHOPAL: About 170 diagnostic tests costing up to Rs 50 will be for free in AIIMS Bhopal after Dussehra. It would add to a financial burden of Rs 8 to Rs 10 crore on the hospital, said officials on Monday.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal has given Diwali gift to common patients. After Dussehra festival, all the tests up to Rs 50 will be free of cost. The announcement was made on Monday by AIIMS-Bhopal president Dr Y K Gupta who is on a day-long visit to the institute campus — the first after Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 25 arrested a AIIMS deputy director (administration) for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a complainant.
During the day, Dr Gupta held meetings with AIIMS director Dr Sarman Singh and other officials and brainstormed on how to make the improve ease of treatment for patients.
AIIMS-Bhopal director, Dr Sarman Singh said that the biggest challenge is of getting skilled OT technicians. “Despite all efforts, we are not getting sufficient number of skilled OT technicians. We are working towards training skilled technicians through special training. This project will be headed by Dr Rehan Ullah, OT in-charge and orthopedics department professor,” he said.
In the evening, Dr Y K Gupta held a press conference and said that apart from free tests, arrangements are also being made so that the reports can be easily available to the patients.
Dr Gupta informed that patients from across Madhya Pradesh come to AIIMS and as such, the load is high. “It results in long wait and queues. Efforts are being made to sot that patients’ time is well utilized and wait time is reduced. Free diagnoses will reduce the wait time,” he said.
AIIMS-Bhopal is also developing a computer system wherein the patient’s report will be received directly to the doctor too, he added.
AIIMS is taking steps towards providing treatment to its senior citizens and women patients. Volunteers would be deployed to assist such patients.
