All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has celebrated the foundation day of its Cardiothoracic and Neuroscience Centre on Sunday and had invited 1,000 guests, just six days after the premier medical institute told its staff to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and protocols.
The celebrations were held at a time when Delhi has registered more than 1,500 new Covid cases per day. However, the AIIMS media cell has confirmed that the advisory for following Covid protocol had not been withdrawn.
Professor Nirupam Madaan, who is officiating in-charge of the media cell, has said, on Sunday as well celebrations will be taking place at the same time.
As per the invitation for the event, the foundation day celebrations will be held in Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) auditorium at the institute from 10 am to 1 pm. All staff members along with their families have been invited.
Moreover, Dr Sanjeev Lalwani, AIIMS medical superintendent of the hospital, has issued a memorandum on April 8 that said “gatherings, especially in canteens, must be avoided”. The message to the staff said that gathering of five or more at any place in the office should be discouraged at any cost.
Furthermore, only visitors who have proper permission from the office should be allowed in “after being properly screened,” AIIMS said.
“We, doctors, are advising people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, but we ourselves are violating them,” one of the faculty member said.
Professor Madaan has also claimed that, 12 rooms for isolation and 18 beds in the main hospital for Covid patients and added that the number of rooms and beds can be increased if required.