They come from far and wide seeking relief and succour at the country's premier medical institution, but scores of outstation patients at AIIMS find themselves fighting the heat and humidity during daytime and spending nights on pavements even as hospital officials say that they are unable to provide shelter to them all.
Many outstation patients who fail to get admission at the hospital are forced to spend days waiting their turn outside AIIMS, in unfavourable hygiene and weather conditions.
Nizakat Khan, a 28-year-old cancer patient from Madhya Pradesh who is undergoing chemotherapy following an operation, says that along with the family members accompanying she has been spending days in the Metro station subway and nights on roadside pavements.
"It's too hot to sit in the sun during the day, I am here with my father, brother and uncle. It's been more than a week that I was operated on and am currently undergoing chemotherapy.
"At night, neither the hospital guards nor those at the Metro station allow us to stay inside their premises, so we sleep on the pavement along with many others," said Nizakat.
Another patient, 13-year-old Sajjan from Patna, has spent more than two weeks with his family on the roadsides seeking an operation date from the doctors. Sajjan is undergoing treatment for brain tumour.
His father, Sanjeevan Choudhary, said, "We came here more than 15 days back. My son has undergone a few tests. The next date we have received is July 4. I am a labourer... I don't have enough money. We are planning to leave for home."
The hospital management, however, has said that despite several ongoing and past efforts, it has found it impossible to accommodate the massive numbers of patients who daily visit AIIMS.
Dr Amit Gupta, the AIIMS PRO, said, "More than 10,000 patients come everyday to this hospital. We can't cater to the needs of all of them and of the relatives who accompany them. It is not possible.
"We have four dharmshalas with a capacity of 750 to 800 people. One more is being built at the Trauma Centre."
What adds to the woes for many patients is the uncertainty over getting a date for consultation at AIIMS.
"We have not been told when we would get the next date (for consultation). My daughter is undergoing treatment, she can't see. Her tests have been done, but I don't know where to go now," said Thakur Das from Chhattisgarh.
A patient from Uttar Pradesh said that he finds the situation grim.
"The situation doesn't seem to be good. More than 100 people are here on the pavements. I did not expect to see this in Delhi," he said.
