The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi has constituted a task force for research to oversee various initiatives that facilitate research on COVID-19.As per a press statement, AIIMS was among the first institutions to launch a call for intramural proposals on COVID-19 research. It also facilitated fast track project evolution by holding weekly ethics committee and Institutional Review Board (IRB) meetings.
Most of the research projects require collaboration between different departments overseeing diverse aspects of COVID-19. As an institution of medical science AIIMS has the advantage of having both basic science experts as well as clinical experts. To date, AIIMS has sanctioned 49 research projects and is also participating in international trials.It said the research projects are exploratory and innovative and the repertoire ranges from newer methods of in silico drug designing, epidemiological and public health aspects, assembling clinical cohorts with protean manifestations and immunephenotyping patients from asymptomatic to those with varying degrees of severity, artificial intelligence, effect of disease on health care workers, effect of COVID on non-COVID related patient consultations, rapid diagnosis and intervention trials related to repurposing of drugs and equipment related innovations.
“The potential for innovative research at AIIMS in huge considering the diversified in-house expertise and broad spectrum of patients admitted at AIIMS. Till date 49 research projects have been sanctioned,” the release said.
AIIMS is also participating in international trials. Meanwhile, an AIIMS sub-committee has been asked to prepare a blueprint for smooth restoration of OPD and non-emergency operation services, with the administration planning to resume them in the next ten days, official sources said.
Also, non-COVID services, other than emergency, for a limited time is likely to be predominantly referral only where the hospital will cater to only those patients who will be referred from peripheral hospitals, they said.
“This can curb the crowd inside the hospital premises to an extent but needs to come out with a well-thought plan considering the pros and cons,” a source said. “The plan is to re-open OPD services in a phased manner. If the number of coronavirus cases surge in the near future and, if need be, we will switch back to the previous roster,” an official said.Doctors at AIIMS are currently providing tele-consultancy to all patients undergoing treatment at the hospital in an effort to reduce the need for them to visit the facility during the lockdown.