Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written two separate letters to Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi. Rahul Gandhi described the situation in which the patients and their families stand outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi as a “humanitarian crisis.” He has urged immediate action to alleviate the suffering.
Gandhi’s comments follow his visit to AIIMS on January 16, where he spoke with patients and their families who were waiting on footpaths and in subways near the hospital.
देशभर से दिल्ली AIIMS आने वाले मरीजों और उनके परिवारों को बेहतर सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराने के लिए दिल्ली की मुख्यमंत्री और केंद्रीय स्वास्थ्य मंत्री को पत्र लिखा है।
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— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 20, 2025
Letter to Centre
“In the freezing cold, these people are made to sleep under thin blankets, with no drinking water or sanitation facilities,” Gandhi wrote in his letter, dated January 18. “Many of them come from all parts of the country, spend all their savings, and wait for months to receive medical attention at AIIMS. This is a shocking failure of our public health system.”
Referring to the overcrowding at AIIMS, Gandhi said that the institution is struggling because “crores of people do not have access to affordable and high-quality healthcare where they live.” He urged the Centre to operationalize new AIIMS facilities across the country and strengthen public healthcare infrastructure at all levels—primary, secondary, and tertiary.
In a letter to Health Minister JP Nadda, he also recommended overhauling the Ayushman Bharat scheme in order to further reduce the burden of out-of-pocket spending for patients through more extensive coverage eligibility, increasing enrollment of hospitals under the program, and enhancing coverage of treatment procedures.
“The sudden rise in private health care expenses too needs critical analysis,” he further said.
Letter to Delhi CM Atishi
Gandhi suggested short-term and long-term relief measures to the Delhi Chief Minister to alleviate the suffering of patients and their families. “Immediate measures such as heating, bedding, drinking water, and sanitation facilities in this bitter winter are necessary,” he wrote. “More permanent solutions, like building and expanding accommodation facilities in partnership with AIIMS, the Government of India, and charitable organizations, should also be pursued.”
During his visit, many patients shared their plight with Gandhi. Complaints included long waiting periods for appointments to not being able to get any diagnostic tests at AIIMS and having to spend money on private healthcare. “Reducing wait times and providing transparent information about treatment schedules can help ease their uncertainty,” Gandhi said.
Ahead of the Union Budget, Gandhi urged the government to substantially increase investment in public healthcare. “The upcoming budget is an opportunity to review the overall approach to healthcare and allocate the necessary resources to resolve this crisis. No one should face such hardships while already battling serious illnesses,” he emphasized.
He further criticized the “insensitivity” of both the Centre and the Delhi government toward the plight of patients. “As public representatives, we must work together to address these systemic issues. You have my full support in any effort to reduce the suffering of countless patients and their families,” he assured in his letter.
“While AIIMS provides excellent and affordable care, the sheer number of patients here shows that healthcare is still out of reach for crores of Indians,” Gandhi said, reiterating the need for systemic reforms.
Rahul Gandhi’s outreach has raised awareness of a growing problem: millions of people who lack access to healthcare in their home states still rely on AIIMS, Delhi, which is known for its high-quality care. But the facility is overworked, and the external views depict a bleak picture of India’s medical system.