Mumbai: The hospital recently built by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in Vashi is yet to be fully functional, and has also not been handed over entirely to the State government by the corporation.
Breathe easy: The ESIC Hospital in Sector 5, Vashi, has an open space.
The six-storey glass façade building in Vashi’s Sector 5 runs only the outpatient department (OPD). Around 300 patients visit the OPD every day. As The Hindu reporter visited the hospital, which was opened in April, one of the striking features is the cleanliness. The hospital also has an open space and a large parking lot. A reception desk stands unoccupied and lack of number of patients makes one wonder whether the hospital runs to its full capacity.
The hospital displays fire extinguishers, sprinklers, and water pipes at regular intervals on all floors. Megha Ayare, medical superintendent of the hospital, said the hospital has received a no objection certificate from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s fire brigade department.
“Presently, we run only the OPD. We have a sanction of 100 beds for the IPD, but that is yet to be handed over to us by the corporation. We run the OPD from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily,” she said. Dr. Ayare said she expects the hospital to run full-fledged within a few months.