Doctors protest over AIIMS SoPs for treatment of Parliamentarians

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], October 20 : The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and other doctors' associations have opposed the move of the AIIMS director's letter on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sitting members of Parliament.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, Director, Dr M Srinivas on Wednesday wrote a letter to YM Kandpal, Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha over streamlining of Outpatient Department (OPD) and emergency consultation, inpatient hospitalisation services for Members of Parliament, following the SOPs issued.
"We condemn VIP culture. No patient should suffer at the cost of another's privileges. That being said, having a protocol to streamline things should not be viewed as derogatory, provided it doesn't hamper patient care," FORDA said in a tweet.
The FAIMA doctors association questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the VIP culture.
"On one side, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji says 'There is no VIP Culture in India!,' but on the other hand, AIIMS New Delhi Director Dr M Srinivas releases a letter to promote VIP Culture! Like past we still stand against VIP Culture!" the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said in a tweet
The doctors of the country are constantly tweeting and opposing the decision taken by the AIIMS Director.
In a letter, Dr Srinivas said, "In case a sitting Member of Parliament requires OPD consultation from a speciality / super speciality department the Lok Sabha/ Rajyasabha secretariat or personal staff of the MP will contact the duty officer and provide him requisite details about the ailment and specialist/superspecialist doctor to be consulted."
"The SOPs include duty officers who are qualified medical professionals from the department of hospital administration will be available in the control room AIIMS Hospital around the clock and the duty officer on duty will be the nodal officer to coordinate and facilitate requisite medical care arrangements for on sitting MPs," the letter reads.
He further said that the landline telephone numbers of the control room and mobile phone number of the duty officer on duty will be constant respective of the person on duty.
According to the letter by Dr Srinivas, "The duty officer will speak to a concerned specialist or super specialist doctor or head of the department and will fix up a requisite appointment. In case it is so required we can speak to the Chief of Centre or Head of the concerned department as well."
"In case of an emergency situation where the people's representative requires immediate medical management, the Lok Sabha/Rajyasabha secretariat or personal staff of the MP will contact the duty officer and provide him with requisite details about the ailment. So that the duty officer can guide them as to which emergency services the MP should be brought to main emergency or Trauma Centre emergency or an Eye emergency," the letter reads further.
"In case of inpatient hospitalisation MP, the treating faculty will send a brief note to the medical superintendent about the ailment or illness that MP is suffering from the proposed line of management and expected duration of stay. it will be countersigned by the medical superintendent and will be sent to the Lok Sabha/ Rajyasabha secretariat given email id by the medical superintendent's office," said Dr Srinivas in a letter
After the circulation of the letter, AIIMS New Delhi tweeted, "AIIMS New Delhi has always had a 24x7 Control Room for co-ordination of medical care of patients from all walks of life Residents and Faculty from Department of Hospital Administration work here to ease logistics and expedite treatment for poorest of the poor."