‘GMCH should now be an institute of national importance’

You have held several important positions as the professor in charge of academics, head of the department of dermatology, medical superintendent, and now director-principal. Please share your journey in GMCH-32.

I have been blessed to have all the experiences in various capacities along the way, and it has been a journey of learning. I joined in 1996 after MBBS from the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, and MD from PGI, Chandigarh. At that time, this hospital was in its infant stage, with the college in the Prayaas building in Sector 38, and the hospital was GMSH-16. We have seen the hospital grow by leaps and bounds, and the effort continues. I am privileged to be in the field of medicine and academics, with my wife a professor of gynaecology at PGI, my son an assistant professor of orthopaedics, my daughter-in-law an MD in dermatology from PGI, and my younger son a computer engineer from IIT.

In the field of academics, what are your plans for GMCH-32 in the new role?

We are focused on increasing both MBBS and MD seats and enhancing the quality of education with the latest in technology. We have five BSc courses, and these are now being run on national-level parameters, with a change in the entire syllabi. The new academic block that is being planned will be a state-of-the-art facility with all the latest facilities for students.

What is your vision for GMCH?

Autonomy in education is very important, and patients from surrounding states, and as far as Bihar and UP, come here for treatment, more than patients from Chandigarh. It is large enough that it may be made autonomous. We have many academic courses, we have GRID, Mental Health Institute and from a college, GMCH should now be an Institute of National Importance.

Patient numbers have increased significantly in the last decade. How can patient services be enhanced?

If investigations and reports are done more quickly, we will be able to ease the rush. We are already exploring the possibilities of having a PPP mode for CT scans, MRIs, so that teaching and services can be done on different machines. We have introduced a new queue management system in the ENT Department, and soon all public dealing services will have this system for the ease of patients and consultants. We may also be exploring robotic surgery, but for that, the nuclear medicine department has to be set up. Oncology is a field that we will enhance with new machines and a PET CT, and are exploring CSRs for this, with a plan for a full-fledged cancer hospital soon. Now, OPD, wards, and daycare of oncology are operational in the Sector 48 Hospital, and the new plan is to set up nuclear and radiation oncology.

What about new faculty for the hospital?

We have as many as 170 to 200 faculty posts, and 27 new posts, with some already filled on contract. As far as nursing goes, we have 424 posts, and 300 have joined. In the OBC category, 123 were not eligible, as they were from outside Chandigarh, and we will advertise again now. We are working on the Mother and Child Hospital, construction of which will be done by March next year, and are looking forward to a new academic block and a multi-level parking.