New Delhi: That Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is AIIMS of Private sector is pet refrain of Dr D S Rana, now Chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Trust Society, who was Chairman of Managing Committee of the hospital till not long ago. But when it comes to medical research, SGRH seems to have outgrown even this comparison. Its well entrenched research department now aims for stars.
On its research Day, it reiterated its total commitment to excel in basic medical research and do whatever it takes to compare with the best in the world namely Mayo Clinic and Cleveland and their likes. Medical research in Sir Ganga Ram hospital has come of age and it rightfully claims to be a cut above the rest on this score among big boys of private healthcare sector in India. The hospital is fully invested both in terms of funding and passion for making itself a gold standard of research in the world.
The Department of Biotechnology and Research at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital found its firm footing during last 10 year stint of erstwhile Dr D S Rana as Chairman of Management Committee. In the research day celebration on October 3-4, Dr Rana’s immense contribution in making this department the standard bearer of medical research was duly acknowledged by speakers. The incumbent Chairman of the Management committee, Dr Ajay Swaroop is driven by the same passion for research and evinced his commitment to carry forward the baton with the same zeal. Appointment of Dr. N.K. Ganguly, Chairman of the Department of Biotechnology and Research of the hospital after he retired from post of Director General of ICMR ( Indian Council of Medical Research), the apex medical research body of government of India was portrayed as cherry on the cake. When he retired, many private hospitals vied to take Dr Ganguli in but Sir Ganga Ram clinched the deal to have gem of medical research. The great stride the research department in SGRH made from its inception in 2006 to date owes big to Dr Ganguli.
Talking to Medicare News, Dr Ganguli was all praise for the management of the hospital saying, ‘whatever I demanded from Dr Rana, he gave forthwith. Lack of finance was never a stumbling block. The upshot is the outcomes of research have begun to be used in the treatment of patients which account for far better outcome now.’
Dr Ganguli further said, ‘I would not say we have reached the level of Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic in research but we are well on course to measure up to that level. That these institutions want to collaborate with SGRH in research speaks a volume about the distance we have traversed so far in the domain of Research. I carry the conviction that we would one day soon be next to none in medical research. We are doing groundbreaking research in Neuroscience, Oncology, Cardiology, Genetics, Liver Transplant, IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) et al. We have so far got 19 crore research grants form bodies like WHO, Welcome Trust and Gates Foundation.’
Talking to Medicare News on the occasion, Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Management Committee, said, ‘Our research department is doing wonders which is not limited to drug trial alone, basic research is its prime focus instead. Dr Ganguli has created a crack team of scientists. Our hospital, unlike others, is committed to excellence in research. Its founder, the great philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram was a visionary and ahead of times. We are only following in his footsteps.’
Renowned Prof. Dr. Indraneel Mittra, Dr. Ernest Borges Chair in Translational Research and serving as Emeritus Professor in Surgical Oncology at Tata Memorial Centre/ACTREC, Navi Mumbai gave an hilarious and enlightening talk. Other speakers included Dr. S.P. Byotra, Vice Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr. Ajay Swaroop, Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr. V.K. Malik, Dean and Dr. N.K. Ganguly. The Research Day event concluded with Prize Distribution Ceremony. Several outstanding students were recognized and rewarded for their exceptional contributions to the field of medical research.
