The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has expanded its ‘Ashray Night Shelter’ initiative by making 1,500 beds available across multiple campuses for families accompanying patients, part of efforts to enhance patient‑centric care and ease challenges faced by visitors from outside the city.
The initiative addresses persistent issues of overcrowding and long overnight waits outside outpatient departments (OPDs), where patients and their attendants often queue for early morning registration. The Ashray facility offers safe lodging, hygienic toilet access, clean blankets and food, reducing discomfort and preserving dignity for individuals staying overnight.
Patients are identified on arrival and transported to the facility, with token numbers issued to maintain orderly sequencing for the next day’s OPD registration. In the mornings, visitors are taken back to the OPD areas using eco‑friendly transport, helping to streamline patient flow and reduce congestion.
The shelters reflect AIIMS’ broader operational strategy to improve the hospital experience through structured patient support services. An existing night‑shelter facility for patients and attendants operates with a capacity of around 250 individuals and has already shown reduced discomfort and better crowd management around OPD registration. Officials have indicated the potential for future expansion to meet rising demand from patients and families visiting the premier medical institution.
These measures underscore an institutional focus on compassionate care and logistical support for families navigating long‑term and complex treatments at one of India’s busiest public healthcare facilities.
