Sleeping Outside AIIMS, Patients, Relatives Battle Cold, Pollution And Rats

AIIMS Delhi, India's largest and most well-known government hospital, treats thousands of patients every day. Yet, just outside its gates, a grim reality unfolds every night. On the concrete ground outside the hospital, sick patients and their attendants are forced to sit, lie, and sleep, braving the cold as well as the pollution, with rats for company.

Every winter, this scene repeats itself. Patients travel from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and other states - not by choice, but out of sheer compulsion. With online appointments running into long waiting periods, those who cannot afford to wait are left with only one option: arrive at night and stand in line until morning.

Appointment counters open at 8:00 AM, with no assurance that patients will even secure a slot. For many, the struggle for treatment begins long before they meet a doctor and there is also the risk of the inhumane conditions making them sicker.

Rupesh Kumar, a resident of Saharsa in Bihar, came to AIIMS six days ago for his wife's treatment. Since then, he, his wife and his minor son have been living on the concrete ground outside the hospital. They spend the nights in the cold, with blankets and food being provided by some NGOs. Speaking to NDTV, Kumar said that he received an AIIMS OPD appointment only after waiting for four days. "I stand in the queue from 4 am, and the OPD counters open at 8 am," he said.

Kumar added that his wife has been given a date for medical tests in August 2026, nearly eight months later. "Because of the long wait, I will now have to get the tests done at a private facility. We are very poor. I am a farmer, and arranging money for multiple medical tests is extremely difficult for us," he said.

When NDTV asked why he was not staying in nearby government- or AIIMS-run shelter homes, Kumar said he had visited them several times but was turned away.

"The caretaker told me the shelter was full and asked me to come back later," he said.

Meena Devi, a resident of Etah in Uttar Pradesh, came to AIIMS eight days ago for the treatment of her eight-year-old grandson, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Since then, Meena Devi and the child have been living on the ground outside AIIMS, taking shelter near medical shops.

Meena Devi told NDTV that doctors at AIIMS have given an estimated cost of Rs 34,500 for her grandson's treatment, but she does not have the money to pay for it. She also said that she went to a nearby shelter home, but she was told it was full and accommodation was denied.

AIIMS' Take

AIIMS Director M Srinivas said the institute gets approximately 15,000 OPD patients every day and has been requesting people to come only with prior appointments so that they do not have to stand in queues.

"We also have our own 'Vishram Sadan', a shelter home with a capacity of 1,500 beds for outstation patients. People who come from outside can take shelter there. You can book the AIIMS Vishram Sadan online using the AIIMS Digital Allotment System, after getting a digital recommendation from your doctor," he said.

"With the support of the CRPF, we have another shelter home called 'Ashray'. Wherever we find people sleeping on the road, we take them to our shelter homes using our electric vehicles. Food, beds, and blankets are absolutely free for them," he added.

The Other Side

When NDTV went to 'Ashray' and 'Vishram Sadan', we saw people getting admission on the spot or after a waiting period of one or two days, depending on bed availability.

The 'Ashray' facility has a capacity of around 250 persons, and each patient is issued a token number ensuring that the same sequence is maintained the next day during OPD registrations.

Madhvi Pandey has been coming to AIIMS since 2023 for her son's treatment. Speaking to NDTV, she said that whenever she visits AIIMS, she always stays at the 'Vishram Sadan'. "We are provided a bed, tent, blanket, food, and clean drinking water absolutely free of cost. I have never had to stay outside AIIMS in the open. I have always received accommodation at the AIIMS shelter home," she said.

Meeta Parthank, who is currently staying at an AIIMS shelter home, shared a similar experience. She said she regularly visits Delhi from Uttar Pradesh for her daughter's surgery and follow-up treatment, and has not faced any issues.

Despite these centres, patients and their relatives still sleep near the road, either because the shelters are full by the time they arrive or because of a lack of awareness or timely support.