Children's hospital in India eyes doubling capacity

Its Intensive Care Unit capacity will increase to 200 beds from 40.

India’s Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital (KSCH), attached to Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), is being expanded to 894 beds from 394.

In a press release, the government said Intensive Care Unit capacity will go to 200 beds from 40, and operation theatres to 12 from 4. Construction is under way on the KSCH campus.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda directed that projects at LHMC, KSCH and Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital be planned to a patient-centric, future-oriented design, drawing on leading institutions' practices.

He asked for approval and clearance issues to be escalated to the Ministry promptly, and for recruitment of nurses, doctors and other staff to proceed alongside construction.

He also called for a long-term master plan with phased development and said private-sector partnerships could be explored where appropriate.