Two-year waiting period for planned procedures at AIIMS Delhi: Centre tells Rajya Sabha

The general waiting period for planned procedures at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, can extend up to two years owing to heavy patient load, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav informed the Rajya Sabha earlier this week.

Responding to a question raised by MP Ramji Lal Suman, the Minister said that the waiting period in General Surgery is up to two months, while in Gynaecology, critical malignancy cases may face a delay of up to three months. In gastro-intestinal surgeries, although critical cases are prioritised, the maximum waiting period ranges from three to six months.

With regard to cardio-thoracic-vascular surgery and neurosurgery, Mr. Jadhav said critical and emergency cases are operated on as required. “No patients with heart diseases have been given dates for surgery exceeding one year. No patients with end-stage kidney disease who have a renal donor have been given dates exceeding one year,” he stated. There is also no waiting period for surgeries of resectable liver diseases. Liver transplants, however, depend on donor availability.

Mr. Suman had sought details on whether critically ill patients at AIIMS Delhi are being given long waiting periods for surgeries, the number of patients who have deposited requisite amounts for surgery but are still awaiting procedures, and the number of heart, kidney, and liver patients whose surgeries have been scheduled beyond a year.

In his reply, the Minister further noted that there is no waiting period for surgeries in the departments of Ophthalmology, ENT, Paediatrics, Burns and Plastic Surgery, Urology, and Dental.

The Ministry also shared current figures on pending surgeries: 690 patients in cardio-thoracic-vascular surgery, 1,324 in neurosurgery, 305 in surgical oncology, and 28 awaiting cochlear implant surgery.