Medico Foot Marching 800 kms to New Delhi to highlight the plight at AIIMS Bhopal

Bhopal: Highlighting the Plight of medical students at AIIMS Bhopal, a foot march is being Former President of the Student's Union from Bhopal to New Delhi . Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Medico Sant Guru Prasad said that he has been fighting for the freedom of speech for students of AIIMS, whose voices are being suppressed. The student leader said a distance of 800 km would be covered by him in a month. Meanwhile, voicing out the same issue, a candle-march was organized by the students of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) recently, seeking a permanent Director appointment for AIIMS Bhopal.

The Medico began his journey on 3rd may 2018 from AIIMS BHOPAL campus and will end at health ministry head office in New Delhi submitting a letter for immediate action especially on the issue of appointment of Director.

"I have chosen World Press Freedom Day to start my foot march to take up the issue that students are being deprived of their right at the medical institute. Whenever we raise an issue, the administration gags students' voice," Prasad told FPJ. In the absence of a permanent director, the students have no one they can approach for grievance redressal, he added.

Director of AIIMS, Raipur, Nitin M. Nagarkar is presently holding the additional charge of Bhopal.

Students claim that the Acting Director is not apprised of the ongoing troubles and the prevailing shortcomings of officials which gives them the opportunity hush up the issues which affect students.

The demonstrators raised slogan to press for student demands stating that they were fed up with the present goings-on at AIIMS and the abilities of those in charge of handling student affairs.

According to students they have no voice as issues raised by them are overlooked. They were of the opinion that this sort of an attitude on the part of the authorities was not good for the student community and the institution, as it adversely affected the atmosphere of study.

The agitation on the part of the students has been on for a long time and they have been boycotting classes earlier, as well. The student union's former president had also undertaken a foot march.

Speaking to FPJ, Dr Ganesh said, "we have to wait at least 15 days to get an approval on petty issues. So the work gets delayed unnecessarily and justice delayed is justice denied. It is all intentional, it is a conspiracy to silence our voice and bring disrepute to AIIMS Bhopal which happens to be among best AIIMS amongst the newly established AIIMS."

Following are the issues that the former Student's Union President intends to highlight in a written submission to the Ministry of Health at the end of his month-long march on foot:

• No permanent Director for last 3 years which shows the neglect of health ministry towards the seriousness of the issue


• Lack of faculty(only 35% of total strength currently working)


• 30% of resident doctors of the sanctioned strength


• 20% staff of sanctioned strength


• More than 10 departments have no faculty at all


• Only 400-bed strength out of sanctioned 960 beds


• Only 3 operation theatres out of 25 operation theatres sanctioned


• As per official document, AIIMS BHOPAL should have world-class facilities by may 2014 including renal transplant stem cell transplant


• If any student raise any voice against lack of facilities he is silenced by administration using various tools