Delhi to get 662-bed trauma centre in Mangolpuri

NEW DELHI: Delhi will soon get a 662-bed trauma centre at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in North West district’s Mangolpuri.

Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj visited the trauma centre’s building for a surprise inspection on Monday. He said that once completed, the trauma centre would become India's largest with a capacity of 662 beds. This will be equipped with all the necessary medical facilities required during emergencies.

“The new trauma centre, once built, will benefit millions of people residing in and around this area. Due to the scarcity of trauma centres in Delhi, people often have to transport patients to a distant facility after an accident, resulting in delayed treatment and higher chances of fatalities. With the establishment of this centre, immediate medical care can be provided to any accident victim in the vicinity who requires urgent attention,” Bharadwaj said.

Mangolpuri MLA Rakhi Birla, who was also present during the hospital’s inspection, told Bharadwaj that the construction work was progressing at an extremely slow pace and not adhering to its scheduled timelines. Expressing dissatisfaction over this, the health minister reprimanded the contractor and issued directions to expedite the construction work and complete the building within the specified time.

The centre will offer various diagnostic facilities, operation theatres and out-patient department halls, Bharadwaj said further.

The minister also reviewed various other facilities of the hospital, including emergency services, OPD department, the queue for obtaining medical prescriptions, and the ICU. Bharadwaj interacted with those waiting for treatment and the admitted patients and asked them about their health. He also checked with the patients if any middleman was trying to exploit them. The minister advised people seeking treatment at the hospital to immediately report any deceptive behaviour or attempts to extort money to the hospital administration for swift action.