What leads AIIMS Bhubaneswar to close OPD services; Read the Reason: Instead going to start WhatsApp Consulting

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar has announced to close its walk-in OPDs from Monday even as not a single public health facility in Odisha has stopped the facility till date.Though the AIIMS has stated that the decision was taken after some of its employees tested positive for COVID-19 and went on quarantine, question has been raised for this.The answer is not far to seek – 22% of its health workers have not availed the COVID-19 vaccines! Of 4,447 health workers in the AIIMS, 3,457 had taken the first dose of the vaccine and 2,719 had taken both the doses, a TNIE report quoted a communication from the institute to the Health and Family Welfare department.From the institute’s communication, it is evident that 22% of its health workers have not taken a single dose and 39% the second dose.
Though the AIIMS is not forthcoming about the number of infected health workers, sources said those who have not taken the vaccines included a senior doctor who was in charge of COVID management in the hospital last year.
AIIMS director Dr Gitanjali Batmanabane said she has been requesting the employees to take the vaccine but cannot force anybody. “We can motivate but cannot force anyone. Some women health workers could not take the vaccine as they were either pregnant or lactating. Now people are getting administered after the positive cases went up,” the TNIE quoted her as saying. WhatsApp consultancy is going to start instead.