Jaslok Hospital is set for a 50,000 sq.ft. expansion at an estimated cost of ₹300 crore. Putting speculation of a takeover to rest, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Jitendra Haryan on Monday announced that the same management will run the hospital.
The 350-bed hospital, in a 20-storey building, has been in the news over the past two years with reports about a takeover of its management and operations doing the rounds. “Discussions were on but nothing has materialised. Everything will remain the same,” said Mr. Haryan.
Media reports had also fuelled debates over the difficulty in sustaining the hospital in an extremely saturated south Mumbai, which has many other top private hospitals like Bombay Hospital, Bhatia Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital, Saifee and Wockhardt Hospital and Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital among others in the competition. “Ours is an iconic hospital and it has been doing consistently well,” he said.
Inaugurated in July 1973 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the hospital was started by philanthropist Seth Lokoomal Chanrai. The name of the hospital has been derived from Chanrai and his wife Jasotibai’s names. As part of the expansion, the hospital plans to construct a new building to add more daycare beds and patient experience areas, integrate the daycare and Out Patient Department and have more space for nurses’ and doctors’ residential quarters. “All our operation theatres are on the 18th floor. We want to shift them down for better patient safety and fire evacuation. The Cathlab too will be brought to the lower floors once the new building is ready,” said Mr. Haryan.
The plans have been finalised and will be submitted for approval soon. The expansion will be completed by 2023, he said.
