New Delhi: It never rains but pours. Sir Ganga Ram hospital has the distinction of getting unalloyed and singular praise from all powers that be. Raghav Chadha, recently inducted as AAP’s Rajya Sabha member, is the newest on the block. Mr Chadha, hospital’s own child prodigy as chief guest poured unqualified praise on his primal cradle on the occasion of its 101st Foundation Day (April 13). He named it as iconic and world class.
In the last decade, three central health ministers on a trot haveproclaimed Sir Ganga Ram as the best healthcare model in India on the same occasion of Foundation Day.The celebrations for foundation day, 2022 started in the morning with garlanding of the statue of Sir Ganga Ram, the great visionary and philanthropist.
Fondly remembering his birth in Sir Ganga Ram hospital, Mr Chadha said,‘I cherish this umbilical connection with this hospital. In the whole area and my own Rajinder Nagar assembly constituency,whenever anyone needsurgent healthcare, whether they have money or not, they look forward to Sir Ganga Ram and the hospital has never disappointed. In Delhi, Sir Ganga Ram hospital is looked as most credible hospital. Sir Ganga Ram hospital is the lifeline of this area.’
Profuselypraising Dr D S Rana, renowned nephrologist and current third time Chairman of Board of Management of Sir Ganga Ram, Mr Chadha said, ‘During COVID Pandemic, I witnessed from close quarters how selflessly this hospital delivered its service to people in the hour of need. Dr Rana and his team worked tirelessly hand in hand with us to come to the rescue of people of Delhi. I salute Dr Rana and his dedicated team. Becoming a Rajya Sabha member, I may not have remained representative of Rajinder Nagar as its MLA but I assure Ganga Ram hospital that I will ever remain hospital’s representative as its own Child.’
Mr Chadha also remembered Sir Ganga Ram as the architect of modern-day Lahore. For the record, the first Ganga Ram hospital came up in Lahore and still exists by the same name. If counted from Lahore days, April 13, 2022, is the 101st foundation day of the hospital but as of Delhi Sir Ganga Ram hospital the day is the 67th foundation Day.Sir Ganga Ram was a celebrated engineer by profession. His progeny runs the hospital as trust members. Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendra Jain was also to come but for some reason he failed to make it.
Dr DS Rana welcomed the guests, and Dr Ajay Swaroop Hony Secretary-cum Treasures and Trustee read the Hospital Report. Smt Sujata Sharma, Honorary Secretary, Sir Ganga Ram Trust Society paid tributes to Sir Ganga Ram (1851-1927). Meritorious / Sponsored awards to distinguished Consultants and Long Service Awards to the Staff members were distributed. A cultural programme presented by the students of the School of Nursing endeared one and all. Dr Rana’s stint in the hospital got wide praise from speakers all and sundry. Dr Rana stressed hospital’s commitment towards poor and destitute.
Dr Ajay Swaroop in the Annual Hospital Report outlined the philosophy of this great charitable tertiary care hospital and the unique concept of management by the working Consultants of the hospital. He briefly enumerated the salient features of the Covid pandemic and the role Sir Ganga Ram Hospital played from 22 May 2020. In all 7442 covid patients were treated. While most went home, unfortunately 1218 could not be saved as this hospital received the sickest Covid patients with multiple co-morbidities not only from Delhi but from far off states as well. While providing patient care 2400 hospital employees contracted covid and over 750 had to be hospitalized.
He further highlighted that in the year 2020-21 the hospital spent 19.50 Crore and 10.55 Crore inthe year 2021-22 for Covid related activities. The total revenue loss in 2020-21 was 99.67 Crore and 23.35 Crore in the year 2021-22. In all the hospital had suffered a loss of 125 Crore as a result of Covid pandemic. The hospital has administered over 50,000 covid vaccines and is continuing the vaccination process.
Sir Ganga Ram was an engineer by profession who was born on 13th April 1851 at a village Mangtanwala of Punjab Province in British India, in present-day Pakistan. He graduated from Thompson College of Civil Engineering in 1873. In 1921, he established Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore which still functions by the same name and is a 500 bedded hospital attached to Fatima Jinnah Medical College. He expired on 10th of July 1927 in London. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi was inaugurated in 1954 by then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and is today a leading multi-super specialty, tertiary care research and referral charitable hospital.
