A Parliamentary Committee has taken exception to the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences not having any separate indoor facilities earmarked for female patients.

There are 85 beds available in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS. On an average, 40 per cent patients admitted in private wards are females. The same holds true for the total indoor hospital clientele.

The committee on empowerment of women during a visit to the hospital felt that there was an acute shortage of space in the Paediatrics and Gynaecology wards of the hospital.

Space constraints had even resulted in the breach of privacy of the patients. Moreover, there was no proper arrangement for the attendants of patients to wait, the committee said in its report tabled in Lok Sabha last week.

The committee was informed by the staff that in the last 40 years there had been no increase in the space provided for the Paediatric General Ward and for the last six years a proposal has been pending for a separate gynaecology wing with additional beds.

It was also informed that there is a proposal for a redevelopment plan for future expansion of AIIMS. This plan envisages development of super speciality blocks at the vacant land of Masjid Mod campus of the hospital.

Regarding staff quarters and hostels, especially for women, the AIIMS Director submitted during oral evidence that the proposal for building hostels and residential facilities has almost been cleared by the Ministry.

A total of 29 per cent of the faculty are women. Out of 487 doctors in the faculty, 141 are female.

On the security measures available for female doctors, the committee was informed that hotel, mess and shopping centres are all located on the campus itself.

As regards transport facilities, the committee has been apprised that a separate transport facility is available for the female nursing workforce.

The female workers also have privileged access to the recreational amenities club. In case of in service death of any female employee, preference is given to their next of kin for compensatory employment.