AIIMS Guwahati Struggles: 43% Faculty Positions Vacant, Patients Left in Limbo

The deteriorating state of Assam's healthcare sector has been widely reported in ‘Asomiya Pratidin’ highlighting issues ranging from inadequate hospital beds to crumbling infrastructure. This crisis was once again brought to the forefront in Parliament.

AIIMS Guwahati, constructed amid controversy in Jalukbari constituency, was expected to revolutionize the state's medical sector. However, the anticipated transformation remains unrealized. 

Despite being partially functional, the institution struggles with a shortage of medical professionals, leading to the referral of numerous patients to Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), depriving thousands of quality healthcare.

Built on a reclaimed wetland, AIIMS Guwahati faces a severe shortage of doctors and medical staff, exacerbating public health concerns. 

According to Union Health Minister JP Nadda’s statement in the Rajya Sabha, 43% of faculty positions at AIIMS Guwahati remain vacant. Of the 1,410 approved non-faculty positions, 769 remain unfilled.

AIIMS Guwahati was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, 2023, with 100 MBBS seats, where academic sessions have commenced. Outpatient and inpatient departments are operational, yet the faculty and medical workforce remain insufficient. As per JP Nadda, only 105 out of the sanctioned 183 faculty positions have been filled, leaving 43% vacant. Similarly, only 641 of the 1,410 approved non-faculty positions have been filled, leaving 769 positions vacant.

This crisis is not limited to AIIMS Guwahati. Other medical colleges in Assam also operate with an acute shortage of professors. Reports on this issue have frequently appeared in ‘Asomiya Pratidin’.

The staffing crisis extends beyond Assam. AIIMS institutions across India, including the newly established ones under the Prime Minister’s Health Protection Scheme, face similar shortages. 
While AIIMS in Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Raipur, and Patna are fully functional, those in Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Bathinda (Punjab), Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Deoghar (Jharkhand), Bibinagar (Telangana), Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), and Jammu have begun MBBS classes and outpatient services but still struggle with staffing shortages. Additionally, AIIMS facilities are under construction in Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, Haryana, and Bihar.

Despite these challenges, Union Health Minister JP Nadda stated that MBBS seats have increased by 102% since 2014, from 51,348 to 118,137. Similarly, the number of medical colleges has risen from 387 in 2014 to 780 in 2024.

Notably, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi shared these statistics on social media, expressing concern over AIIMS' operational shortcomings. While medical college seats have increased, the severe shortage of faculty and non-teaching staff raises serious concerns about the future of healthcare accessibility in Assam and beyond. If AIIMS institutions mirror the struggles of state-run medical colleges, the promise of quality healthcare for the general public may remain unfulfilled.

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