New AIIMS Bhopal Director Announces Grievance Cell to Resolve Legal Issues Internally

Bhopal: In a first, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal is planning to set up a court for settling internal issues. The Grievance Redresseal Cell will be used to settle potential legal issues within the institute.

The announcement was made by Dr Sarman Singh, who assumed office as the new Director of the institution on Monday.

Singh has been discharging his duties in different capacities for the last 30 years at AIIMS New Delhi and has 13 prestigious national and international awards to his name.

In the proposed Cell, both the aggrieved parties would be offered lawyers for presenting their sides, said the director. He further added that he would himself hear contentious issues on a monthly basis.

“Legal issues not only bring a bad name to the institution but also lead to wastage of mone. I hope 90 percent issues would be settled at the internal court,” opined Dr Singh, who has seven patents to his name and features as a member in over one-and-a-half dozen leading science and technology bodies in the country.

Dr Singh claimed that it was one of his goals to develop an AIIMS Delhi-like work culture in the Bhopal based institute.

The premier health organisation would work as an autonomous body.

Aware of instances of political interference in the functioning of AIIMS Bhopal, Dr Singh said protocols would be followed and the political fraternity would be given its due respect. However, he said no undue interference will be allowed in institutional functioning.

The first full-time director at AIIMS Bhopal after three years, Dr Singh promised quality healthcare with the help of leading experts who would be brought on deputation, contractually or as visiting faculty members.

“I would make efforts to convert AIIMS Bhopal into leading centre of research and innovation,” said the new director, who was recently appointed by the Cente after massive protests by doctors and students of the institute, demanding a full-time director.

Intense infighting and lack of a full-time director has led to the denigration of AIIMS Bhopal to a mediocre health institution. The Institute has been running behind schedule on most of the infrastructural and healthcare projects it is currently undertaking.