All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi

About

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, also known as AIIMS New Delhi, is a public medical university and hospital in New Delhi, India. The institute is governed by the AIIMS Act, 1956 and operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It is regarded as one of the best public medical research universities and hospitals in India.

The idea of AIIMS arose in 1946, after a recommendation by the Health Survey of the Government of India. From then to the establishment and development of AIIMS (Delhi) over the ensuing years, several illustrious individuals played their part in bringing the idea to fruition. Originally proposed by the then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru for establishment in Calcutta, it was established in Delhi following the refusal of Chief Minister of West Bengal Bidhan Chandra Roy. The foundation stone of AIIMS Delhi was laid in 1952. On 18 February 1956, the then Minister of Health, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, introduced a new bill in the Lok Sabha, that would eventually become the AIIMS Act. She said,

It has been one of my cherished dreams that for post graduate study and for the maintenance of high standards of medical education in our country, we should have an institute of this nature which would enable our young men and women to have their post graduate education in their own country. The old and new main OPD blocks at AIIMS, Delhi are named after her. When the bill was adopted in May 1956, it became the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act, 1956.

The whole campus is spread over an area of 213.12 acres.

AIIMS, Delhi's main campus is located in Ansari Nagar in Delhi. It is adjacent to the South Extension-II market and lies on both sides of the Sri Aurobindo Marg, southwards to the AIIMS Roundabout flyover crossing. AIIMS, Delhi's main campus is divided into five smaller campuses:

East Campus – Containing OPD Block, Main Hospital Block, Ward Block, Medical College, Research Section, Convergence Block, BB Dixit Library, Administrative Wing, Undergraduates Hostels, Central Lawn, Jawaharlal Auditorium and staff quarters. The 4 Specialty Centers for Cardiothoracic + Neurosciences, Cancer Center, Center for Ophthalmic Sciences and Center for Dental Education and Research are also within this East Campus. West Campus – It comprises mainly staff quarters and residences. JPNA Trauma Center – It is exclusively designated for Emergency services. In June 2018, a tunnel and ramp road link between the east campus and JPNA Trauma Center Campus was also opened. This link route is very useful in fast transferring of critical patients across the two Campuses. Beside JPNA Trauma Center, new 100 Bed Plastic and Burns Surgical Unit Hospital is also running, it will also comprise a Skin Bank for Burns Injuries. Masjid Moth Campus – This site contains new Post-Graduate and Resident Doctor's apartments. Underground parking block is also situated here. Upcoming New Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD Block, Mother and Child Block, Surgical Block and Geriatric Block (National Centre for Ageing) are also functional here. Ayurvigyan Nagar Campus – It is too for faculty and staff's residential accommodations.

Across AIIMS is Safdarjung Hospital and associated Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University). Also, adjacently lies the headquarters of Indian Council of Medical Research, the body that coordinates and funds medical research in India. In vicinity, also lies National Medical Library, run by the Directorate-General of Health Services of the Government of India. It has a vast collection of scientific and medical journals that can be accessed by researchers.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.