In a historic first for Delhi's public healthcare system, three of its largest central government hospitals will now be led by women doctors, signaling a major shift in leadership at some of the country's most influential medical institutions.
Appointments Announced
The Union health ministry on Friday issued appointment orders for Dr Akhilandeshwari Prasad as director of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Dr Himani Ahluwalia as director of Lady Hardinge Medical College, and Dr Kavita Rani Sharma as director of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital.
Officials confirmed that these appointments place women at the helm of three of Delhi's largest and busiest government-run tertiary care institutions simultaneously for the first time.
Profiles of New Directors
Dr Akhilandeshwari Prasad, a senior consultant in radio diagnosis, has been appointed director of ABVIMS and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital with immediate effect. An MBBS gold medalist from Lady Hardinge Medical College and MD in radiodiagnosis from RML Hospital, she has been associated with RML Hospital and ABVIMS for nearly three decades in academic and administrative roles, including as head of radiodiagnosis.
Dr Himani Ahluwalia, a director professor of physiology, will take charge of Lady Hardinge Medical College from July 9.
Dr Kavita Rani Sharma, director professor of anaesthesia, has been appointed director of VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital with immediate effect. She had earlier been given additional charge as its director in March.
Priorities and Vision
Dr Prasad told TOI that her priorities include strengthening patient-focused care, ensuring uninterrupted essential services, operationalising the super-specialty block, modernising infrastructure, and accelerating integrated paperless healthcare systems. She also aims to strengthen teaching, research, and clinical training while expanding the institution's healthcare and academic capacities.
Dr Sharma noted that Safdarjung Hospital is among the country's largest tertiary care institutions, handling around 13,000 outpatient department (OPD) patients daily across several super-speciality departments. She said her focus would be on strengthening patient care, medical education, and research.
Significance
Together, the three institutions cater to lakhs of patients annually and play a key role in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, tertiary healthcare, and national public health programmes.
Officials said the appointments reflect the growing presence of women in leadership positions within India's public healthcare and medical education system, which has traditionally been dominated by male administrators and senior clinicians.
