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

Outside the gates of Delhi's AIIMS, India's most trusted government hospital, patients and their families are spending freezing winter nights on pavements, underpasses, and open concrete spaces while waiting for medical care. With long online appointment queues and uncertainty over OPD registration, many outstation patients arrive overnight, leaving them exposed to cold temperatures, poor air quality, and unhygienic surroundings. Visuals show people sleeping without proper bedding, alongside stray dogs, rats, and garbage, raising serious concerns about safety and dignity. While NGOs provide limited relief in the form of food and blankets, the conditions remain unsafe for those already ill.

Responding to NDTV, the AIIMS Director said the hospital handles around 15,000 OPD patients daily and urged visitors to come with prior appointments. He said AIIMS operates free shelter homes, including 'Vishram Sadan' and 'Ashray', and claimed that people found sleeping on roads are shifted to shelters overnight. The report highlights a clear gap between the availability of facilities and their reach on the ground, as reported by NDTV's Ahtasham Khan.