Doctors at AIIMS to Begin Writing Prescriptions in Hindi as Government Pushes for Language Accessibility in Healthcare
Doctors at AIIMS to Begin Writing Prescriptions in Hindi as Government Pushes for Language Accessibility in Healthcare
In a major move to promote Hindi in the medical field, the Health Ministry has directed institutions like AIIMS to encourage prescriptions, research, and official correspondence in Hindi — aiming to make healthcare more transparent and people-friendly.
In a significant step towards promoting the use of Hindi in the medical sector, the Health Ministry has instructed doctors at leading institutions, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), to begin writing prescriptions in Hindi. The initiative seeks to make healthcare services more accessible and understandable for the general public, especially those unfamiliar with English.
According to the new directive, the move will not be confined to one department but will extend across all levels of institutional functioning, from correspondence and documentation to research and publication. The ministry has clarified, however, that this change will remain optional for now, ensuring that students and medical professionals whose native language is not Hindi will not be compelled to adopt it.
The order emphasises that the purpose is not to replace English but to reduce dependence on it and to make official communication and prescriptions more user-friendly for patients who primarily speak Hindi.
What the government order says:
The circular outlines a comprehensive plan to integrate Hindi in various aspects of medical administration and education:
- Letters received in English should, wherever possible, be replied to in Hindi, with an English translation attached if required.
- Official letterheads and visiting cards of medical institutions should be bilingual.
- File notings should be made in Hindi as much as possible.
- Entries in employees’ service books should be recorded in Hindi.
- Medical institutions should purchase books published in Hindi and encourage research work in Hindi.
- In meetings and official discussions, Hindi should be used increasingly, with efforts to reduce reliance on English.
- Technical terms should be used in their original Hindi form rather than being awkwardly translated, using standard references prepared by the Technical and Terminology Commission and the Central Hindi Directorate.
- Doctors should write prescriptions in Hindi on patient cards for ease of understanding.
- Medical professionals who conduct or present research in Hindi — or in both Hindi and English — should be encouraged and honoured.
The ministry believes that the use of Hindi will not only bring transparency to medical practices but also bridge the communication gap between doctors and patients, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions.
Officials have clarified that the move aligns with the broader government policy of promoting Hindi in official and academic work without imposing it on non-Hindi-speaking professionals. The long-term vision includes increasing the availability of medical literature in Hindi and fostering an inclusive, multilingual environment in healthcare.
