Jaslok Hospital, one among Mumbai's oldest tertiary care and multi-specialty charitable hospitals, on Tuesday announced that it was all set for a 50,000 sq.ft. expansion at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore. Rubbishing claims of takeover, the management said the handling of operations and management control would remain with the hospital, and that there was no deal with any Indian or foreign organisation.
Reports of a takeover of the hospital's management and its operations has been doing the rounds and a recent media report fuelled debates over the difficulty of the current management in sustaining itself in the face of a strong competition by other high-tech and equally well-known hospitals in the area of South Mumbai such as Breach Candy hospital, Sir H.N.Reliance Foundation hospital and Bhatia hospital, among others.
However, trashing the media reports, Jaslok Hospital on Tuesday surfaced with its expansion plans. According to a statement issued by the 350-bed hospital, the expansion would happen in phases. It plans to construct a new building, add more daycare beds and medical facilities, revamp its patient experience areas and residential quarters for its doctors and nurses.
“We are looking to strengthen the infrastructure of this iconic hospital by investing in the refurbishment over the next 5 to 6 years. The plan has been finalised and will be submitted for approval soon. It will be raised in a phase-wise manner through combination of internal accruals and debt. There will be no change in management. It remains the same," clarified Jitendra Haryan, CEO, Jaslok Hospital.
Last year, the hospital launched a 37-bedded advanced ICU with multi-para monitors, ventilators and experiential waiting area for patient's relatives and shifted it to the 4th and 5th floors.
The 46-year-old Jaslok Hospital was started by philathropist Seth Lokoomal Chanrai and was inaugurated in 1973 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
