Up to 2 years waiting for cardiac and neurosurgery at AIIMS Delhi: Govt in RS

NEW DELHI: AIIMS Delhi has two months waiting for general surgery while in gynaecology the waiting period is up to three months for malignancies, the govt told parliament on Tuesday.

In gastro-intestinal surgeries, while critical cases are prioritized, the maximum waiting period can be in the range between three to six months, union minister of state in the health ministry Prataprao Jadhav said in a written reply to a parliament question. He added: “In cardio-thoracic-vascular surgery and neurosurgery, waiting periods for planned procedures can be up to two years due to heavy patient load.”

Jadhav said patients undergoing critical treatment in the department of ophthalmology, ENT, pediatrics, burns & plastic, urology and dental at AIIMS Delhi have no waiting period for surgery.

At present, the number of patients waiting to be operated on at the premier hospital are 690 for cardio-thoracic-vascular surgery, 1,324 for neurosurgery, 305 for surgical oncology and 28 for cochlear implant surgery, the govt said.

The govt added in its reply to the parliament question that no patients with heart diseases have been given dates for surgery exceeding one year and that no patients with end-stage kidney disease who have a renal donor have been given dates exceeding one year. “In cases of liver transplant, surgeries are dependent upon availability of donors,” the govt said.