RML to start new emergency unit in May

With an aim of lessening dependence of critically-ill patients on private hospitals for ventilators, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital is set to operationalise an exclusive emergency unit equipped with 60 ventilators by May.
The six-storey, 280-bed unit will have over 60 ventilators, including 38 new ones recently procured by the hospital.
"The emergency building would be ready by April end and it would take couple of weeks afterwards to install equipment and other logistics. It would be operational in May. In addition to the existing 26, 38 new ventilators have recently been procured for the unit," Dr H K Kar, Director-cum-Medical Superintendent of RML, told PTI.

"Rationale behind the unit is to provide emergency medical care to as many patients as possible. However, as the hospital is located in the heart of the capital, the thrust would be to cater to the medical emergency needs of the population of central Delhi," he said.
As of now, he said, there was an acute load of patients seeking emergency services as the hospital is currently running its emergency unit with only 140 beds.
"Moreover, in case of non-availability of ventilators, we are bound to refer critically-ill patients to other hospitals. Addition of 140 more beds would enhance the quality of emergency services," Kar said.

The new block would be centrally air-conditioned and designed over 80,000 sq ft area.

The hospital is among a few ones providing subsidised medical care to central government employees and their families under the Central Government Health Scheme and there was a dire need to expand its emergency unit, he said.
"There are around 5 lakh central government employees residing in the city and good number of these employees and their family members avail of emergency care in this hospital," he said.
"Moreover, owing to our mandate to provide emergency care to every patient admitted to the institute, we can't directly refer patient to other hospitals before treating him or her here. Hence, the unit was long awaited," he said.