DNA
 
Mumbai, May 10: The 80-year-old KEM Hospital is getting a Rs700-crore makeover. The huge grant will enable the hospital to buy new technologies, set up advanced research labs and restore the heritage building. Deepa Suryanarayan tells us what to expect after the revamp of one of the city’s biggest hospitals.

In the long-standing battle between private and public health providers, the latter has always been seen as the last resort of the cash-strapped common man. But not for long. With education and health being the two most important sectors for the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) this year, major changes are in the offing. The best of services will be available to the common man at affordable prices, say authorities.

Concentrating on the public health sector, the BMC has made huge budgetary allocations to improve and modernise existing infrastructure — including manpower — to tackle the demand in all 16 peripheral hospitals and three tertiary care centres. One of the biggest beneficiaries of this budgetary allocation is KEM Hospital and GS Seth Medical College, which has received a grant of Rs700 crore. The makeover project for one of India’s biggest tertiary care centres, renowned for its orthopaedic expertise, will span five years.

Patients going to KEM will find several changes every time they visit the hospital over the next few months. “The expansion and modernisation plan is intended to meet our existing needs and also to cater to needs 20 years down the line,” says Dr Nilima Kshirsagar, dean, KEM Hospital.

“There is a huge gap in what the hospital provides and what is needed. As the years pass, this gap is going to increase drastically. Cardiac problems, diabetes, psychiatric ailments and infectious diseases are all set to rise,” predicts Kshirsagar. This is why KEM has focused on increasing staff strength specifically catering to these ailments, she adds.