Gandhi Hospital Undergoing Sea Change

In a year or so, the transformation will be complete, as the hospital is all set to have the best facilities in mother and child care, organ transplantation, liver care and casualty medial services.

State-of-the-art casualty

A State-of-the-art 50-bedded casualty wing is coming up at the hospital, which could go a long way in addressing present-day challenges in emergency medical services for patients. While the existing capacity of the casualty is 25 beds, it is woefully falling short of the actual demand. The additional 50 beds could, to some extent, address the issue of bed-shortage and in the process enable authorities to introduce better medical protocols for better patient outcomes. Coming up at a cost of nearly Rs 2.38 crore, the new emergency facility will also have four exclusive operation theaters, allowing surgeons to carry out critical life-saving procedures quickly. The construction activity at the existing casualty ward is already underway and authorities are hoping that in another one month the new facility would be ready. “Once completed, the facility will be the largest casualty ward in the public health sector in the State. The facility is being designed in such a way that patients will not be moved out to undergo diagnostic tests, as all tests will be done under one roof,” says Gandhi Hospital Superintendent, Dr. P Sravan Kumar.

Mother and child care

Within the campus of Gandhi Hospital and Medical College, the State government has also approved to start a 200-bedded Mother and Child Health (MCH) center for pregnant women. The Rs 30 crore project aims to strengthen the hospital’s existing Pediatrics and Obstetrics wing, which at present is filled to its capacity. There are close to 250 beds dedicated to mother and child care but the inflow of pregnant women in the in-patient hovers close to 350 and sometimes even more. “Such is the demand for our services that there have been occasions, when pregnant women have shared a single bed at our pediatric wing. Such situations will be avoided now because of the new building,” Dr. Sravan pointed out. The Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC) has already completed the planning and design aspect of the MCH center in the campus of Gandhi Hospital.

Organ transplantation hub

The health authorities are also in the process of launching a major project aimed at transforming the eighth floor of Gandhi Hospital into an organ transplantation hub. The construction activity of the Rs 50 crore project is expected to start in the coming months. At present the hospital’s eighth floor is occupied by students from the Gandhi Hospital Nursing College, who will be shifted in due course. “Once completed, the entire eighth floor will become a major State-run organ donation hub in the State,” said Dr. Sravan. The transplantation hub will feature six modular operation theatres, a liver transplantation and diseases center, high end organ transplantation facility for kidney and heart. The facility will have an exclusive department to manage liver diseases among patients.

Orthopedic surgeries

High end orthopedic surgeries like total knee replacement have traditionally been a strong suit of corporate hospitals. Similar surgeries were taken-up at Gandhi Hospital earlier but still such procedures are few and far between. “We want to take-up such surgeries frequently in our new dedicated orthopedic modular operation theatres. We have also urged the State government to strengthen the manpower in the orthopedic wing. Such type of surgeries can be done free of cost at Gandhi Hospital,” said Dr. Sravan. – Telangana Today