AIIMS to monitor air quality in campus – ET HealthWorld

NEW DELHI: In collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) authorities have decided to monitor air quality in the campus.

Coordinator CAPHER (collaborative for air pollution and health effects research in India), additional professor, Dr Harshal Ramesh Salve, centre for community medicine, said that for pollution monitoring low cost portable censors will be installed at 8-9 locations to assess the impact of various initiative taken under “clean and green” AIIMS.

He added that the possible locations for installation of censors could be — at gate number 1, emergency medicine, gate number 2 entry junctions, new Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD and near gate number 3 road junction along with library, wards, and some office areas. A team from IIT Delhi will be led by Prof Sagnik Dey.

According to officials, this will be the baseline assessment which will continue for three months and after seeing the impact of interventions which are being introduced in the institute like increasing the number of e-vehicles and put a ban on autos inside the campus, the air quality will be re-monitored. It will also help to design more interventions like water guns, air purifiers inside the offices/wards, if required.

The aim of the institute is not only to provide a clean and green environment in the campus but also set an example for other medical institutes and motivate them to introduce such things in their campus, said officials.

According to a senior official, 60 more shuttle services have been ordered by the institute and these will be available round the clock at all the gates. One guide will be available inside the shuttle to direct the patients and their attendants to their concerned OPD or department in the campus. As of now, 12 shuttles are presently available in the AIIMS.

Meanwhile, a meeting of New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMDC) officials was held with AIIMS director and other dignitaries in the campus regarding face-lifting of the entry and exit of the institute along with easy access of handicapped people to the hospital. Patient information departments have also been created at outposts to provide immediate help to patients and their attendants, said officials.