New Delhi: All India Institute of Medical Sciences — long regarded as the country’s premier public healthcare institution — is grappling with a deepening crisis triggered by internal challenges and an acute strain on human resources, raising serious concerns over patient care.
In a development that has left cancer patients in distress, chemotherapy services in the Radiation Oncology Department have been shut down, severely impacting critical treatment access. The move follows an earlier decision by the administration in February 2023 to discontinue over five decades of established Radiation Oncology services, reportedly without clear or publicly stated reasons.
Sources within AIIMS indicate that the responsibility for chemotherapy has now been shifted to the Medical Oncology Department. Simultaneously, resident doctors and nursing staff attached to Radiation Oncology have been directed to halt services, with warnings of disciplinary action in case of non-compliance. Insiders suggest that the disruption stems from ongoing differences between the two departments, allegedly exacerbated by the rigid stance of a senior official.
The fallout has been significant. An estimated 6,000 chemotherapy sessions that were earlier conducted annually in the Radiation Oncology Department are now affected. Patients are being redirected to the already overburdened Medical Oncology wing, leading to overcrowding, delays, and compromised care delivery.
For many patients and their families, the consequences are severe. Several have reported long waiting hours and uncertainty regarding treatment schedules. With limited options at AIIMS, many are being compelled to turn to private hospitals, where the cost of cancer treatment is often prohibitively high.
Repeated appeals by patients to restore services in the Radiation Oncology Department have so far gone unanswered. “When both radiation and chemotherapy are available under one department, it significantly reduces the burden on patients,” said a senior doctor on condition of anonymity. “Fragmenting care forces patients to move between departments, which is especially difficult for those already in fragile health.”
The situation at AIIMS stands in contrast to practices at other leading institutions, including Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research and Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, as well as several other AIIMS branches across the country, where integrated chemotherapy services continue within Radiation Oncology departments.
Healthcare experts warn that such disruptions in a premier institute not only affect immediate patient care but also set a concerning precedent for public health infrastructure. The lack of clarity surrounding the decision has further intensified scrutiny.
Attempts to seek an official response from the AIIMS Director remained unsuccessful, as calls from this correspondent went unanswered.
As the impasse continues, thousands of cancer patients remain caught in uncertainty, highlighting the urgent need for administrative intervention to restore seamless and accessible treatment services.
(Cover Image: Special Arrangement)
