Operation Theatres At Delhi AIIMS Trauma Centre Flooded A Day After Heavy Rain

The basement area of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital area continued to remain flooded on Saturday, a day after heavy rains lashed the city.

AIIMS Media Protocol In-Charge, Rima Dada, said that the Operation Theatre (OT) of AIIMS Trauma is yet to resume operations.

“After heavy rain yesterday, there was severe waterlogging in parts of the AIIMS hospital especially in the basement of Trauma Centre where heavy generators and other equipment are present. We had to stop OT after that but four life threatening surgeries were performed,” Rima Dada said.

She further said that the director and additional director took stock of the waterlogging in the basements and lifts and were cleared immediately.

She said, “Director and Additional Director took stock of the situation but due to power cut by NDMC, our Operation theatres were shut till 4 p.m. After power was restored, we started the OTs, and surgeries were performed all night.”

She further said that the basement was still waterlogged, and the Director and Additional Director have said that they are taking steps to ensure that it will not be repeated in the future.

She added, “The tunnel that connects AIIMS to the trauma centre, from where patients can be moved very quickly, has been cleared. Basement 3 is still inundated. The work to clear waterlogging is underway, but the Operation Theatre (OT) of AIIMS Trauma is yet to start. We will start OTs once our electrical engineers give a green signal, we will start the OT.”

She further said that pumps have been installed in Basement 3 to remove the waterlogging.

On June 27, 364 patients were operated, and on June 28 the day of heavy rains, 347 patients underwent surgery at AIIMS.

Earlier services in the operation theatres (OTs) of the Neurosciences Centre of the AIIMS Delhi were affected as OTs became non-functional, as per a notice by the AIIMS Delhi.

According to the notice dated June 28, all the OTs were non-functional due to the non-functioning of the air-conditioning and water seepage from the walls.

The neurosurgeries were also kept on halt and patients were referred to Safdarjung Hospital or any other government hospitals.

The decision came after a discussion with the Nursing Superintendent (NS OT Sister in-charge) of the Cardiothoracic and Neurosciences Centre AIIMS, the Master of Surgery of CN Centre, and the Chief of CN Centre.

The notice reads, “As per discussion with the NS OT Sister in-charge, MS (CNC), and the chief CN Centre, all the OTs are non-functional due to the non-functioning of the air-conditioning and also water seepage from the walls. Hence, no case can be operated on, any patients coming to an emergency requiring surgery, the same kindly be referred to either Safdarjung or any other government hospital. If there is a case, which has to be done urgently, may kindly be taken up in the trauma centre after discussing it with the concerned faculty.”