A 71-year-old patient suffering from liver disorder jumped off the fifth floor of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur early on Monday morning. The patient Namdev Lahanu Mohod, a resident of Mangli, was admitted to the surgery department of AIIMS Nagpur under Unit In-charge Dr Bhupendra Mehra on Sunday afternoon. “Mohod was diagnosed with rectal prolapse with hepatic mass. He was under evaluation, so we had put him in ward 503 on fifth floor. But I can’t say anything about his extreme step,” Dr Mehra told ‘The Hitavada’, adding that Mohod was declared dead.

 

This is second such case where a patient had jumped off the fifth floor. In the year 2021 during coronavirus pandemic, another patient had jumped off the same floor. Surprisingly, the window does not have any grills. AIIMS has failed to take any corrective measures since the previous incident in 2021. The open window poses danger to everyone. Asked why the grills were not installed at the windows, Lt Col Nikhil Pandey, Superintending Engineer with AIIMS Nagpur replied, “The construction design of AIIMS all over India is the same. We can’t change it. Secondly, AIIMS has been set up in MIHAN where the rules of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) are followed.

 

We have to seek No Objection Certificate (NOC) from MADC whenever we need to introduce any change in internal structure. As far as installing grills at windows in AIIMS are concerned, MADC Fire department said no to it.” Ganesh Kharatmal, Deputy Fire Officer with the Fire Department of MADC made it clear, “We have never asked AIIMS not to install any grill. Our only concern is the rescue area should not have any distraction. My only suggestion is the patients should not be kept on fifth or fourth floor but that is the prerogative of AIIMS.”