Health ministry cancels leaves of officers in national capital

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry and the Centre-run AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia hospitals in the national capital have cancelled leaves of all their officers and staffers indefinitely and activated emergency protocols amid a military standoff between India and Pakistan, reported PTI.

The development came after Health Minister J P Nadda reviewed the preparedness of hospitals in the country on Friday and directed officials to ensure all medical emergency response systems are fully equipped and functional.

"In view of the impending situation, no leave of any kind, including station leave, is to be granted to any officer, except on medical grounds, till further orders. Further, the already sanctioned leave, if any, stands cancelled, and the officers who are on leave are directed to resume their duties immediately. The controlling officers may instruct their officers/officials accordingly," the ministry order stated.

This was followed by similar orders from the AIIMS Trauma Centre, Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjung hospital administrations.

"In pursuance of the office order dated May 9, 2025, by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and in view of the impending situation and preparedness of the emergency response system, it has been decided that no leave of any kind, including station leave, will be granted to any officers/officials regular or outsource except on medical grounds, till further orders," the AIIMS Trauma Centre order read.

"Further, leaves already sanctioned, if any, stand cancelled and the officers/officials who are on leave are directed to resume their duties immediately," it said.

The order referred to a mass casualty management mock drill held at the facility last week and said it was fully prepared to receive patients in case of any eventuality, be it with burns, gunshot injuries and head, neck, spinal and chest injuries.

"We have already made arrangements for normal and ICU beds, and our operation theatres are fully equipped to handle a large number of patients. If needed, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff can be shifted from the main AIIMS to the trauma centre," said Dr Rima Dada, the professor in charge of the media cell at AIIMS, Delhi.

The Safdarjung Hospital's Additional Medical Superintendent, Dr Charu Bamba, chaired a meeting with officials and directed them to stock up the hospital and its blood bank and ensure that emergency facilities were primed with adequate manpower.

The meeting also decided that patients from the hospital's New Emergency Block may be shifted to the super-speciality block in case of any exigencies.