AIIMS Gorakhpur Director's Private Hospital Visit Sparks Row Over Healthcare Standards
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav questions healthcare standards after AIIMS Gorakhpur Director seeks private treatment due to missing facilities.
A medical emergency involving the Executive Director of AIIMS Gorakhpur has ignited a political firestorm, with Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav questioning the Gorakhpur AIIMS healthcare standards and the state of public medical infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.
The Incident: A Sudden Health Scare
The controversy began on Wednesday, October 28, when Dr. Vibha Dutta, the Executive Director of AIIMS Gorakhpur, suddenly fainted at her official residence. Following the incident, she was immediately rushed to AIIMS Gorakhpur for initial medical attention.
However, as her condition required a more detailed cardiac evaluation, she was subsequently transferred to a private healthcare facility. While all medical reports from the private consultation eventually came back normal and Dr. Dutta returned to her duties on Thursday, October 29, the reason for her transfer has become the center of a heated debate.
The Missing Link: The Cath Lab Controversy
The primary reason for Dr. Dutta's transfer to a private hospital was the absence of an operational catheterization laboratory (Cath Lab) at the AIIMS Gorakhpur campus. A Cath Lab is a critical facility used to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases, and its absence meant the institute's own head could not receive the necessary cardiac evaluation on-site.
This revelation has provided ammunition for Akhilesh Yadav, who used the incident to launch a scathing attack on the state government. The SP chief pointed out the irony of a premier medical institution being unable to provide essential cardiac care to its own Director, raising serious questions about the quality of healthcare available to the general public.
Seven Years and Still Waiting
The timeline of the institute's development has now come under intense scrutiny. AIIMS Gorakhpur was inaugurated in February 2019. Despite being in operation for several years, the facility is still in the process of installing a Cath Lab and other specialized medical machinery.
Critics argue that the failure to have a fully functional Cath Lab seven years after the institute's inception is a significant lapse in healthcare planning and execution, leaving patients dependent on private alternatives for life-saving cardiac procedures.
About the Director
Dr. Vibha Dutta is a seasoned medical administrator who took over as the Executive Director of AIIMS Gorakhpur on January 30, 2025. She is the fifth person to lead the institution and brings extensive experience to the role, having previously served as the Director of AIIMS Nagpur from 2018 to 2023.