Aim for quality service not AIIMS status
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 06, 2021 -

The public would be least interested with whether or not the objective of upgrading RIMS hospital to the status of AIIMS materialises but would definitely yearn for quality healthcare service in all the general hospitals.

For too long,'successive government and hospital authorities have been raying about development of RIMS to the level of the reputed AIIMS but the ever increasing number of private hospitals and clinics sprouting up across the state imply that the quality of service in both RIMS and JNIMS is far from being satisfactory to the public.

No doubt, both the general hospitals have seen commendable improvement in terms of cleanliness and installation of medical equipment which are essential to ensure compatible service.

Notably, various structural projects are being taken up in both the hospitals with the stated objective of enhancing their profile as healthcare institutions of repute.

However, the fact remains that these hospitals are the last option for any patient with serious health issues as is evident from middle class and financially sound families believing that undergoing treatment at private hospitals would be the wisest choice.

That such public perception is not without a reason could also be comprehended from the joint team of student organisations like KSA, SUK, MSF, AMSU, AIMS and DESAM assessing condition of RIMS Hospital on Saturday in the presence its director Professor A Santa.

Had there been satisfactory service delivery in RIMS then it's obvious that the hospital wouldn't draw the attention of these organisations, which are formed to primarily uphold interests of the student community.

As stated by DESAM president Nameirakpam Edison during the visit RIMS has seen development in many aspects, but there is still room for improvement to reach thelevel of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and become world class healthcare facility.

It is also heartening to learn that director Santa is confident about upgrade of the hospital where works are on to install lifts in old buildings of RIMS such as OPD, Orthopaedic, Trauma Centre and other six departments, apart from making thecampus eco-friendly with the planned launch of e-vehicles.

As the inspection was carried out amid recent allegations about anomalies in fresh recruitment, promotion of in-service staffers and tender process for infrastructure development projects, it seems that the intention was to ring out the message that RIMS is under constant scrutiny from various sections of the society.

For the record, RIMS was mired in controversies over improper utilisation of funds sanctioned by the Ministry of Health for research purpqses during the financial years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, discrepancies in procuring equipment, rising graph of corruption, large scale irregularities in recruitment which resulted in enquiry by CBI, raids conducted by CBI at the houses/quarters of top ranking officers and legal battles fought at Courts over different matters.

All these factors, coupled with acts of violence by the patients' parties over alleged medical negligence caused more harm than good to RIMS.

Thus, in addition to judicious implementation of infrastructure development projects, priority of the hospital authorities should be towards minimising lapses and discrepancies for RIMS to attain the goal of being comparable with AIIMS for one can't think of a more important sector with greater social impact than affordable and efficient healthcare in the state: Moreover, delivery of quality healthcare service in the general hospitals like RIMS and JNIMS would be effective in preventing healthcare frorn being converted into business by the private parties as is the trend in the state at the juncture.