GMCH gives 39,000 poor patients a lifeline;

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Government hospitals are often assumed to provide only basic treatment. However, ‘Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) is proving this wrong by offering full-fledged super-speciality care. At the super-speciality hospital on the GMCH premises, poor and economically weaker patients are receiving advanced treatments including bypass surgery, angiography and angioplasty. In the past 10 months alone, 39,000 patients have been treated in the OPD. With nearly 100% of the super-speciality hospital functioning, patients are questioning why the facility is now being considered for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

On Wednesday, in the state legislature, a review meeting was held under the Department of Medical Education and Drugs regarding the plan to start super-speciality hospitals in Latur, Akola, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Yavatmal under the PPP policy.

Built with Rs 150 crore in funds from the Central and State governments, the GMCH super-speciality hospital has had doctors, nurses and staff in place, but inpatient services could not begin for a long time. Over the past two years, after the OPD became operational, the inpatient department has also started functioning. A total of 358 types of medical equipment have now been installed here.

The hospital currently offers eight super-speciality services: cardiology, urology, uro-surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, neonatology, and plastic surgery. Many complex surgeries are being performed routinely.

A new lifeline for heart patients

At GMCH’s super-speciality hospital, bypass surgery, angiography, and angioplasty are being performed. Heart treatments often cost several lakhs in private hospitals; GMCH is breaking this trend by offering life-saving cardiac care to poor patients at minimal or no cost.

The last bypass surgery at GMCH was performed in 2018, after which there was a long gap. At the super-speciality hospital, the waiting list only kept increasing. After nearly six years, in December 2024, under the initiative of dean Dr. Shivaji Sukre, heart surgeries resumed.

Separate registration department

A dedicated registration section has been started at the super-speciality hospital. Patients can now directly visit this department, register, and access treatment. Services under government health schemes have also begun here. As a result, the demand that the hospital should not be handed over under PPP is gaining strength.