More hospital beds at affordable rates
ESIC hospitals to undergo extensive renovation and expansion; once complete, they will be opened even to patients not covered by the scheme …….SANTOSH ANDHALE
The city is to get more hospital beds in the next couple of years with three hospitals, run by the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), scheduled to undergo extensive renovation and expansion.
Whats more, once complete, the authorities intend to throw open the hospitals even to patients who are not covered by the state insurance scheme.
The ESIC plans to demolish their hospital buildings at Parel, Kandivli and Andheri, and build new facilities with more beds. Their fourth hospital at Mulund is also set to undergo renovation without being demolished.
Plans are also afoot to amend rules so that patients not covered under the scheme will be allowed to access medical treatment at reasonable rates.
Headquartered in New Delhi, the four ESIC hospitals in Mumbai are serviced by doctors from the state governments health department. The ESIC is a health programme for workers with low salaries who are unable to afford treatment in private hospitals.
Bids have already been invited for demolition of ESICs old hospital buildings. The reconstruction budget for the Parel hospital alone is around Rs 180 crore, as the authorities plan to make it a top class facility with advanced medical equipment.
We plan to make it a state-of-the-art hospital. And we propose to change existing laws whereby even those not covered by the scheme can avail of treatment, said Dr Maya Wankhede, director, ESIC Hospital, Parel.
At Andheri, there are plans to demolish three floors of the hospital building. Right now it is a 330-bed hospital, but after renovation it will have 500 beds, said Dr A M Patil, medical superintendent.
Dr P V Bhagvat, medical superintendent of the Mulund ESIC Hospital, said their hospital will also be renovated and will have upgraded facilities.
The elaborate plans also includes setting up of medical colleges at Parel, Andheri and Mulund. The Medical Council of India has already inspected the hospital premises to check whether medical colleges can be set up. The renovation work at all the hospitals should be completed in two to three years, Wankhede added.
The new plan for ESIC Hospital, Parel