Sion hospital redevpt: 73% more beds, cancer centre

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday inaugurated the second phase of Sion hospital's redevelopment, which is expected to increase the bed capacity from 1,900 to 3,286. The expansion will include a new main building, a cancer centre, emergency services and an outpatient department (OPD).The project, costing Rs 2,500 crore, is expected to be completed by 2030. It includes a 25-storey residential tower for doctors and nurses and over 40 operation theatres. "At present, the hospital is severely overburdened. As they can't deny treatment to anyone, there are instances of two patients sharing one bed," said Fadnavis. Dr Pramod Ingle, the dean of Sion hospital, said, "The redevelopment work are being done in two phases so that patient services are not impacted. The first phase included four buildings; two of them, which were for resident doctors and allied staff, have been completed. The other two, hostels and accommodation for 1,200 students and professors, will be completed within the next year." He said that for the second phase, old quarters for resident doctors and allied staff will be demolished, and in their place, a 14-storey multispeciality hospital and a 13-storey cancer centre will be constructed. "Further, we plan to demolish the OPD and emergency building and construct a new 13-storey OPD building and another 14-storey emergency building," he said.