Chandigarh: GMSH-16 extension hospital at Sarangpur moves a step closer to reality

The proposal for the extension hospital of Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, has received approval from the UT architecture wing and has now been forwarded to the Punjab governor for final authorisation, said an official.
The planned, five-storey, 500-bedded hospital in Sarangpur, covering 15 acres, is 7 km away from GMSH-16.
This extension hospital will alleviate the patient load at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, and GMSH-16.
UT health services director Dr Suman Singh said, “The project is currently in progress, undergoing necessary procedures and developments.”
The UT administration previously had proposed to the Union ministry of health and family welfare to upgrade GMSH-16 to a medical college with 100 MBBS seats. For this, the UT had allocated a 15-acre site at Sarangpur.
However, the proposal was rejected by the Centre, citing that Chandigarh already has a medical college: GMCH, Sector 32.
The area, which was supposed to have a college, might now become an extension with advanced medical services and a special area for mothers and children.
The extension will not only serve as a new hospital but also have advanced services.
Around 3,000 patients visit GMSH outpatient departments every day. In labour rooms with limited space, sometimes two patients share one bed, which can be challenging, especially for caesarean deliveries that need longer stays.
Constructed in 1952 to accommodate around five lakh individuals, GMSH-16 hospital now serves a population exceeding 12 lakh, attracting patients from the entire region, specially from neighbouring Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
The mother and child centre, along with the gynaecology and surgery departments, faces substantial strain at GMSH.
The hospital requires additional beds to enhance the service quality.