AHMEDABAD: Deputy chief minister and health minister Nitin Patel on Monday visited the Civil Hospital campus to review construction progress at various sites. Patel said that the hospital, a ‘dream project’ of PM Narendra Modi, will be complete by the end of the year. He said they have already invited the PM for the inauguration.“Construction of the 1,200-bed hospital is complete whereas the speciality hospitals for heart, kidney, eye and dental problems are at various stages of completion. The “Medicity” will be the largest in the world, with a capacity of 7,101 beds. The project, costing Rs 1,450 crore, will revolutionize the public health system in Gujarat,” Patel said.
Civil Hospital, already considered Asia’s largest hospital, in 2018 handled more than 12.7 lakh outpatients, 1.3 lakh indoor patients and saw 30,000-plus major and minor operations carried out. Speaking to the media, Patel said that they are actively trying to resolve the issue of contract workers at Civil Hospital and other medical campuses in Gujarat. He added that the government will again appeal in the Gujarat high court over dishonoured bonds signed by bachelors and masters students of medicine, one of the reasons for the dearth of doctors in the public health system.