'No new public hospitals in Mumbai from past 10 yrs'

Mumbai, Nov 13: Notwithstanding its ever-growing population and increasing number of migrants, no new public hospital has come up in Mumbai in the last one decade and there are only two beds available in the city for every 1000 persons, a recent study has revealed. There are altogether 559 hospitals within the city of Mumbai, of which 170 are nursing homes. The total bed capacity of the city is 38,200, of which 11,000 beds belong to BMC and 6,700 beds belong to the state and central governments. Around 21,500 beds belong to private and trust hospitals, the study conducted by Koel Sanyal of Celadon Real Estate has found.

Good health care demands a ratio of 4 beds per 1000 population. The last hospital in Mumbai, Diddharth Hospital, Goregaon was built by the BMC in 1998 and it was followed by an eight-bed expansion at Bhagwati Hospital, Borivali. South Mumbai forms the locus of Mumbai healthcare as it houses the big 12 trust hospitals and these together account for 2721 beds.

The study found an interesting contrast that foreigner account for 18 per cent of patients in top hospitals of Mumbai such as Lilavati, Jaslok, Breach Candy, Bombay Hospital, Hinduja Hospital.

There are many big players within the city like Wockhart, Tata Memorial, Lilavati, Asian Heart Institute and there are as many as 95 multi-specialty hospitals and 40 single-specialty.

Out of the total hospitals in the city 16 hospitals (with over 200 beds) account for 31 per cent of hospital beds, 25 hospitals (with between 100-200 beds) account for 47 per cent beds and the rest of hospitals (with less than 100 beds) account for 22 percent beds.There are more than 400 empanelled hospitals in Mumbai through various insurance companies and Third Party Administrators.

About the ownership , the study found that Mumbai has 21 hospitals which are Trust- owned. Of them six are multi-specialty hospitals and one is an eye care centre. Some of them are - Breach Candy Hospital Trust (Mumbai), Lotus Eye Hospital's Trust, Maru Hospital (Shree Bidada Sarvodaya Trust Hospital), Parakh Hospital, Prince Aly Khan Hospital, Navi Mumbai Muncipal Corporation, Godrej Memorial Trust, Lilavati hospital and Research Center.There are 11 private-owned hospitals and among these two are eye centres and the rest are multi-specialty hospitals.

Most of the upcomming hospitals in Mumbai are in private sector.Kohinoor City Hospital , a 150-bed multi-specialty hospital coming at Kurla-Vidyavihar section, is an Rs 750 million project.

The first phase of the hospital of 100 beds is to be commissioned by 2009. Lilavati hospital and Research Center plans to establish another 300-bedded hospital in Mumbai with a total investment of Rs 200 crore. Khubchandani Hospitals intends to set up an 80 million US Dollar multi-specialty hospital in Mumbai soon. The hospital has acquired 10,000 sq feet of land in the city. The construction of the hospital is expected to start by the end of the year and could be completed in three years by 2011, the study pointed out.

According to the study, Singapore-based Parkway plans to develop a 600-bed greenfield, multi-specialty hospital in Mumbai. Wockhardt Hospitals Limited, one of the largest private healthcare services companies in India, plans to develop a network of regional specialty ICU hospitals. Medical care provider Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre is planning to set up another 300-bed hospital in Mumbai at an approximate cost of Rs 200 crore.

Pacific Healthcare Holdings, which has tied up with Yash Birla Group to form a joint venture, plans to set up four medical spa centres and a wellness resort in India and two of them , with total floor space of 12,500 sq ft, will be in Mumbai and open this year. Another foreign player ,PacHealth is setting up a 5,000 square feet specialist cosmetic and dental services centre in Prabhadevi, a prime area in Mumbai at a cost of about 1.2 million Dollar.

UNI