Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital

Last updated

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital
Government of Tamil Nadu
GovernmentHospitalChennai.JPG
Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital
Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital
Geography
LocationGrand Western Trunk Road, Park Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates 13°4′53.1″N80°16′37.9″E / 13.081417°N 80.277194°E / 13.081417; 80.277194
Organisation
Care system Public
Type Full-service medical center & teaching hospital
Affiliated university Madras Medical College
Services
Beds2,722 [1]
History
Opened16 November 1664;360 years ago (16 November 1664)
Links
Website http://www.mmc.tn.gov.in/

Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital is a major state-owned hospital situated in Chennai, India. The hospital is funded and managed by the state government of Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1664 by the British East India Company, it is the first modern hospital in India. [2] In the 19th century, the Madras Medical College joined it. As of 2018, the hospital receives an average of 12,000 outpatients every day. [3]

Contents

History

The Government General Hospital was started by 16 November 1664 as a small hospital to treat the sick soldiers of the British East India Company. Sir Edward Winter, who was the agent of the company, was instrumental in the establishment of the first British Hospital at Madras. [4]

In its early days, the hospital was housed at the Fort St. George and in the next 25 years, it grew into a formal medical facility. Governor Sir Elihu Yale (the initial benefactor of the world-renowned Yale University) was instrumental in the development of the hospital and gave it new premises within the Fort in 1690.

Art of a surgery in progress in ancient India, on display at the hospital AncientIndianSurgeon ChennaiGH.jpg
Art of a surgery in progress in ancient India, on display at the hospital

The hospital moved out of the fort after the Anglo-French War and it took 20 years before it could settle in the present permanent place in 1772. [5] By 1771, the new location for the hospital, which until then was located on Armenian Street, was finalized—the land on which the East India Company's Garden House stood in the 1680s on the lower slopes of Nari Medu (literally "Hog's Hill") (the area around present-day Chennai Central). [6] [7] New building at this site was constructed by John Sullivan at a cost of 42,000 pagodas and the hospital at the present-day site was formally opened on 5 October 1772. Between 1664 and 1772, the hospital had been moved nine times. [7]

By 1772, the hospital was training Europeans, Eurasians and natives in Western methods of diagnosis and treatment and methods of preparing medicines. These trained personnel were posted to various dispensaries in the district headquarters of the then Madras Presidency to assist the qualified doctors. Subsequently, the hospital was turned into Garrison Hospital in 1814. By 1820, the institution had the recognition as the model hospital of the East India Company. In 1827, D. Mortimar was appointed as the superintendent of the hospital.

The Madras Medical College started off as a private medical hall run by Mortimar, and was regularised into a medical school in 1835, which was opened by the governor, Sir Frederick Adams. The governor then promulgated an ordinance to make the school a state-sponsored one and attached it to the General Hospital.

In 1842, the H-shaped main building was constructed, and the hospital was opened to Indians. [5] Simultaneously, the medical school was upgraded to Madras Medical College and started functioning from 1850. Between 1928 and 1938, the hospital was expanded to a great extent owing to the growing number of patients. A. L. Mudaliar was appointed as the first Indian principal of Madras Medical College. Since 1935, with the creations of various departments, new buildings were constructed and the Public Works Department started maintaining the hospital. By the end of the 20th century, the government decided to demolish the old building and replace it with two tower blocks at a cost of ₹ 1,050 million.

On 10 July 1987, the first ever transplant surgery in the hospital was done. [8] [9] The first successful cadaver renal transplantation was performed at the hospital in January 1996. [9]

In April 2007, the government decided to open pay-and-use wards with 200 beds and own nurses, to be maintained by the Tamil Nadu Medical Commission, at the hospital. [10]

In March 2013, a new kidney dialysis centre with 12 machines was commissioned at the hospital at a cost of ₹ 10 million. [11]

Infrastructure

As the city of Chennai falls under seismic zone III, the structure is designed to be quake-resistant. A framed structure with pile foundation is used in the superstructures. The tower blocks are constructed with structural glazing, aluminium composite panel cladding and Novakote finish.

Main facade of the hospital Rajiv gandhi government Hospital.jpg
Main facade of the hospital

The total plinth area of Tower Block I is 31,559 square metres and Tower Block II is 33,304 square metres. The ground level is raised up to 1.40 metres (4'7") to avoid water stagnation and to allow gravity flow of rainwater. Each tower block has three staircases and eight lifts and the building has a ramp with access to all floors. A separate fire-escape staircase and garbage disposal lift are found at the rear side of the building. Construction of an eight-storey block to house 23 outpatient departments began in August 2016 at a cost of ₹ 1014.5 million. It will add to the hospital an additional 432,000 square feet when it is opened in July 2019. The new block will have four bed-cum-passenger elevators and four passenger elevators. [3] [12]

The building has a 1,000 KVA generator with automatic main failure panel. An air-conditioning plant caters to the needs of operation theatres, ICUs, IMCUs,[ clarification needed ] blood bank and special wards. A digital EPABX system has been installed with battery power backup.

The hospital has 52 operation theatres, besides intensive care units and post-operative wards. The hospital requires around 1,400 cubic metres of oxygen a day, which is supplied through 1,052 outlets using cylinders. The hospital consumes around 300 oxygen cylinders every day. [13]

Government General Hospital, Chennai GH Chennai.JPG
Government General Hospital, Chennai

The hospital was the first government-run institution in the state to install a tank to store liquid oxygen. The tank, with a capacity to hold 13,000 litres of oxygen, would cater to the needs of the entire hospital when it becomes operational. The tank has been installed in the space between Tower Block 2 and the old cardiology block. The tank, costing ₹ 4 million, has been built free of cost by Inox Air Products, which supplies the gas to the hospital. A full tank will ensure that supply will last for 5 days. [13]

Dispensaries attached to the hospital include Government Secretariat Dispensary, Government High Court Dispensary, Government Chepauk Offices Dispensary, Government Estate Dispensary, and Government Raj Bhavan Dispensary.

As of 2013, there were 231 beds for various ICUs at the hospital including for poly trauma, orthopaedics, medical emergencies, poison, surgical, cardiology, neurology and geriatrics. An additional 15 beds for cancer ICU has been planned along with the commissioning of a linear accelerator for precise radiation therapy. [14] In 2018, an integrated laboratory facility in the hospital was officially sanctioned to provide "seamless lab services". [15]

The hospital is the first in the government sector to have a full-fledged emergency department, which includes triage area, resuscitation bay and colour-coded zones, per the Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Care Initiative (TAEI) guidelines. [16]

In 2015–2016, construction of four multi-storied blocks began at a cost of ₹ 1,244.8 million. Of these, three buildings, namely, rheumatology block, nephrology block, and urology and hepatology blocks, built at a cost of ₹ 553.3 million, were completed in February 2017, March 2017, and June 2018, respectively. [17]

Operations

Front Lobby of Tower 1 GH Tower 1 Front Lobby.jpg
Front Lobby of Tower 1
One of the many hallways at the hospital ChennaiGH Corridor.jpg
One of the many hallways at the hospital

The entire hospital block has been remodelled with the reconstruction of the massive twin towers. These replace the original hospital buildings, which were more than a century old.

While the hospital is managed by the medical superintendent, the dean is the head of the Madras Medical College (MMC) attached to the hospital.

By 2006, the hospital started treating about 8,000 to 10,000 outpatients every day. The hospital also performed three open-heart surgeries free of cost daily. [18] By 2013, the number of outpatients per day increased to 10,000 to 12,000. [1]

The hospital contributes to the second largest number of deceased organ donations in Tamil Nadu. [19] In March 2012, the hospital performed its 1,000th kidney transplant, the highest in any government hospital in the country, of which about 90 were cadaver transplants. [8] As of 2013, the hospital has a 22 percent share in organ transplants, the highest among hospitals in the city. [20]

Canteen

A corporation canteen is under construction on a 5,000 sq ft land and will be the biggest of its kind in the city. It can accommodate the 12,000 outpatients, 3,000 inpatients and thousands of staff and visitors at the hospital. The canteen is expected to open by mid-September 2013. The canteen will have ramps for differently-abled and possibly have separate counters for them. [21]

Incidents

On 27 April 2022, a major fire broke out at the hospital at around 11 a.m. [22] The Bradfield Surgical Block, one of the old buildings at the hospital premises, was affected in the fire. [23]

Future developments

In March 2011, the state health department announced setting up of a genetic lab at the hospital to help in the early diagnosis of such diseases. [24]

In June 2012, the first skywalk in Chennai connecting Chennai Central Railway Station, Park Railway Station and the hospital was planned at a cost of ₹ 200 million. [25] It will be 1 km long, linking the hospital with nine points, including Chennai Central Railway Station, Evening Bazaar, Government Medical College and Ripon Buildings on Poonamallee High Road.

In April 2022, the government announced the construction of a new building at a cost of ₹ 650 million to replace the century-old Bradfield Surgical Block, which was destroyed by fire in the same month. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Medical College</span> Medical college hospital in Chennai, India

Stanley Medical College (SMC) is a public medical college located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Though the original hospital is more than 200 years old, the medical college was formally established on 2 July 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avadi</span> Suburb of Chennai, India

Avadi is a western suburb of Chennai, and the headquarters of Avadi taluk located within the Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, India. Situated at about 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Chennai Central Railway Station, it is one of the four municipal corporations in the Chennai Metropolitan Area and is governed by the Avadi Municipal Corporation. It is surrounded by major defence establishments and is home to various universities and engineering colleges. The neighborhood is served by Avadi Railway Station of the Chennai Suburban Railway and just 7 km from the upcoming Karayanchavadi Metro of Chennai Metro Rail. As of 2011, Avadi had a population of 345,996, which is 10th most populous place in Tamil Nadu. It is home to the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Ordnance Factory Board (ODF) which houses Engine Factory and Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE). The lake in Avadi was known as Paaleripattu, which is now found only in very old land documents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Medical College Vellore</span> Medical institutions in and around Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Christian Medical College, Vellore, widely known as CMC, Vellore, is a private, Christian minority community-run medical college and hospital in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. This institute includes a network of primary, secondary and tertiary care hospitals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madras Medical College</span> Medical school and hospital in Chennai, India

Madras Medical College (MMC) is a public medical college located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1835, it is one of the oldest medical colleges in India, as well as in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N. Ram</span> Indian journalist (born 1945)

Narasimhan Ram is an Indian journalist and a prominent member of the Kasturi family that controls The Hindu Group of publications. Ram was the managing-director of The Hindu since 1977 and its editor-in-chief since 27 June 2003 until 18 January 2012. Ram also headed the other publications of The Hindu Group such as Frontline, The Hindu Business Line and Sportstar, and has been awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India and Sri Lanka Ratna by the Government of Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chennai Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse in India

There have been at least four lighthouses named Chennai Lighthouse or Madras Lighthouse, which face the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of the Indian Subcontinent in Chennai, India.

The Egmore Eye Hospital, officially the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital, is a public eye hospital in Chennai, India. Considered the oldest eye hospital in Asia, the institute was established in 1819 and is the second oldest hospital of its kind, next only to the Moorfields Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Town, Chennai</span> Neighbourhood in Chennai District, Tamil Nadu, India

George Town is a neighbourhood in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is near the Fort Saint George, Chennai. It is also known as Muthialpet and Parry's corner. It is an historical area of Madras city from where its expansion began in the 1640s. It extends from the Bay of Bengal in the east to Park town on the west. The Fort St. George is on the south, to Royapuram in the north. The Fort St. George houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat. The High court of Tamil Nadu at Chennai, Dr. Ambedkar Law College, Stanley Medical College and Hospital are located here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilpauk Medical College</span> Medical school in Chennai, India

Government Kilpauk Medical College (GKMC) is a government medical institution in Chennai, India. Founded in 1960, there are four hospitals attached to GKMC - Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. They are Government Royapettah Hospital, Government Thiruvotteeswarar Hospital of Thoracic Medicine, Government Peripheral Hospital, K.K.Nagar and Government Peripheral Hospital, Anna Nagar. The college is affiliated to The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai. It offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chepauk Palace</span> Official residence of the Nawab of Arcot

Chepauk Palace was the official residence of the Nawab of Arcot from 1768 to 1855. It is situated in the neighbourhood of Chepauk in Chennai, India, and is constructed in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healthcare in Chennai</span> Healthcare in Chennai, India

Healthcare in Chennai is provided by both government-run and private hospitals. Chennai attracts about 45 percent of health tourists from abroad arriving in the country and 30 to 40 percent of domestic health tourists. The city has been termed Health Capital of India. Multi- and super-specialty hospitals across the city bring in an estimated 150 international patients every day. Factors behind the tourists' inflow in the city include low costs, little to no waiting period, and facilities offered at the speciality hospitals in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital</span> Hospital in Tamil Nadu, India

Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Super-Speciality Hospital is a 400-bed government-owned super-speciality hospital in Chennai, India. It is located at the Omandurar Government Estate on Anna Salai and was opened in February 2014. Originally built as Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and secretariat complex in 2010 to house the assembly hall, secretariat and offices of the chief minister and cabinet ministers, the complex was later converted into a super-speciality hospital. It was built in 1.93 million sq ft. at a total cost of ₹ 4,250 million in 2010.

Chennai, with historically rich records dating at least from the time of the Pallavas, houses 2,467 heritage buildings within its metropolitan area (CMA), the highest within any metropolitan area limit in India. Most of these buildings are around 200 years old and older. Chennai is home to the second largest collection of heritage buildings in the country, after Kolkata. The official list of heritage buildings was compiled by the Justice E. Padmanabhan committee. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed the Heritage Commission Act in 2012 to preserve old heritage structures.

Tamil Nadu Government Dental College, also known as Government Dental Hospital and College, is the dental wing of the Madras Medical College. Although the college is a separate entity administratively, it is functionally integrated with the Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EVR Periyar Salai</span> Arterial road in Chennai, India

EVR Periyar Salai (EVR High Road), earlier known as Poonamallee High Road(NH 48) and originally the Grand Western Trunk Road, is an arterial road in Chennai, India. It is the longest road in Chennai. Running from east to west, the 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) road starts at Muthuswamy Bridge near Madras Medical College at Park Town and ends near Maduravoyal Junction via Kilpauk, Aminjikarai, Anna Nagar Arch, Arumbakkam, Koyambedu. It further continues west towards Poonamallee and traverses the towns of Sriperumbudur, Walajapet, and Ranipet.

Government Royapettah Hospital is a major state-owned hospital situated in Royapettah in Chennai, India. The hospital with 712 beds is funded and managed by the state government of Tamil Nadu. It was founded in 1911 and is attached to Directorate of Medical Education. It is the city's largest peripheral hospital, and its limit extends up to Chengalpattu.

Krishnaswami Srinivas Sanjivi (1903–1994) was an Indian medical doctor, Gandhian, social worker and the founder of Voluntary Health Services (VHS), a medical facility in Chennai reported to be serving the lower and middle-class people of the society. He was honoured by the Government of India in 1971 with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award. Five years later, the government followed it up by awarding him the third highest civilian award of Padma Bhushan in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voluntary Health Services hospital, Chennai</span> Hospital in Tamil Nadu, India

Voluntary Health Services, popularly known as the VHS Hospital, is a multispecialty tertiary care referral hospital in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, reportedly serving the economically weaker sections of the society. It was founded in 1958 by Krishnaswami Srinivas Sanjivi, an Indian physician, social worker and a winner of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards and is run by a charitable non governmental organization of the same name. The hospital is situated along Rajiv Gandhi Salai at Taramani, in Chennai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Square, Chennai</span> Square in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

The Central Square is a city square and major intersection in Chennai. Areas surrounding the Ripon Building, Victoria Public Hall, Moore Market Complex, Chennai Central Railway Station, the Southern Railway Headquarters and the Government General Hospital are being developed as part of the Central Square. The total site area is estimated to be about 37,800 square meters, and the development is estimated to cost about ₹4 billion (US$48 million) and will be funded by the CMDA.

Royapettah Neighbourhood, in Chennai district, in Tamil Nadu State, in India.

Royapettah is a neighbourhood of Chennai, India.

References

  1. 1 2 "GH in Chennai to celebrate 350 years in Nov". The Hindu. Chennai. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Amarjothi, J. M. V.; Jesudasan, Jeyasudhahar; Ramasamy, Villalan; Jose, Livin (2020). "History of Medicine: The origin and evolution of the first modern hospital in India". The National Medical Journal of India. 33 (3): 175–179. doi: 10.4103/0970-258X.314010 . PMID   33904424. S2CID   233410719 . Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Eight-storeyed outpatient building coming up at GH". The Hindu. Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  4. ↑ Hamid, Zubeda (20 August 2012). "The medical capital's place in history". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  5. 1 2 "History: 1639 A.D. TO 1700 A.D." ChennaiBest.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  6. ↑ Ramya Raman & Anantanarayanan Raman (23 August 2022). "On the quarter-millennial anniversary of the Madras General Hospital". The National Medical Journal of India. 35 (1): 47–51. doi: 10.25259/NMJI_5084 . ISSN   2583-150X . Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. 1 2 Sriram, V. (23 February 2015). "A brief history of the General Hospital – a Chennai landmark". Madras Heritage and Carnatic Music. V. Sriram. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  8. 1 2 Kumar, G. Pramod (21 March 2012). "Once capital of illegal kidney trade, Chennai now a pioneer in transplants". Firstpost.com. Firstpost.India. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Govt hospital performs its 1000th kidney transplant". Health India.com. Health.India.com. 21 March 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Pay wards at General Hospital soon". The Hindu . Chennai. 21 April 2007. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  11. ↑ "GH gets new dialysis centre". The Hindu. Chennai. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "New building for outpatients at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital". The Hindu. Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. 11 August 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  13. 1 2 "GH gets state-of-art liquid oxygen tank". The Hindu. Chennai. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  14. ↑ "Precise radiation therapy soon at Chennai GH". The Hindu. Chennai. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  15. ↑ Josephine, M. Serena (20 October 2018). "Two govt. hospitals in Chennai to have 'seamless laboratories'". The Hindu. Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  16. ↑ Josephine, M. Serena (28 April 2019). "Chennai's third full-fledged emergency dept. at KMC". The Hindu. Chennai: Kasturi & Sons. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  17. ↑ "Three buildings built at Rs 55.33 crore idle at Chennai government hospital, says CAG report". The Indian Express. Chennai: Express Publications. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  18. ↑ "Chennai Government General Hospital treats up to 10,000 outpatients daily". The Hindu . Chennai. 23 January 2006. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  19. ↑ Sujatha (24 May 2012). "MoU signed by Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai & MOHAN Foundation". Mohan Foundation. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  20. ↑ "100 cadaver transplants later, GH still going strong". The Hindu. Chennai. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  21. ↑ "Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital canteen with ramps soon". Deccan Chronicle. Chennai. 20 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 August 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  22. ↑ "Fire at Chennai's Rajiv Gandhi govt hospital; no casualties, 33 patients shifted". Hindustan Times. Chennai. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  23. 1 2 "₹65cr block to replace fire-ravaged building". The Times of India. Chennai. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "Rare diseases unit, genetic lab coming". The Times of India . Chennai. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  25. ↑ "First skywalk to link Chennai Central with GH". The Hindu. Chennai. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.