Delhi to Get 'Super Medical Hub' as CM Rekha Gupta Announces AIIMS-Style Institute

According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), at the same time, the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) will be developed in the future as NIMHANS-2, a major national centre for mental health and neurosciences.

A high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was recently held at the Delhi Secretariat to discuss the proposal. The meeting was attended by Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and senior officials from various departments.

During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on plans to integrate the capital's major government medical institutions to create a stronger and more modern healthcare system. The focus was on improving the use of existing resources and developing world-class healthcare facilities in Delhi.

The CM said that strengthening healthcare in the capital requires the scientific and efficient use of available resources.

"Integrating different institutions will allow better utilisation of doctors, specialists, medical equipment and infrastructure, while also ensuring that patients receive more organised and advanced treatment," CM Gupta said, as per the CMO.

The meeting also reviewed the current bed capacity in hospitals and the growing pressure of patients.

Officials informed that Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital has a total capacity of 650 beds, but only around 250 beds are currently operational, leaving nearly 400 beds unused.

On the other hand, both the Delhi State Cancer Institute and GTB Hospital are handling patient loads beyond their capacity. GTB Hospital, which has an original capacity of about 1,400 beds, is currently operating with more than 1,500 beds in use.

Patient statistics also highlight the pressure on GTB Hospital. The hospital records over 14 lakhs OPD visits annually, while nearly 95,000 patients receive inpatient (IPD) care.

Meanwhile, the Delhi State Cancer Institute handles around 1.27 lakh OPD patients, and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital records nearly 2.87 lakh OPD patients.

These figures show that while GTB Hospital is facing an overwhelming patient load, some hospitals still have unused capacity, underscoring the need for better coordination and resource management.

Gupta said that once the institutions are integrated, super-speciality services will be distributed more systematically among hospitals, ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate specialist care.

As per the CMO, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital will strengthen services such as cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, gastrointestinal surgery, nephrology, urology, rheumatology and clinical haematology.

Delhi State Cancer Institute will become the primary hub for cancer care, with services like radiation oncology, surgical oncology, nuclear medicine, palliative care and radio-imaging being consolidated there.

Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital will continue to strengthen key departments such as orthopaedics, internal medicine, ENT, general surgery, neurosurgery, endocrinology and ophthalmology.

The review also revealed that several hospitals already possess advanced medical equipment, but due to shortages of specialised staff and scattered resources, their full potential is not being utilised.

For instance, advanced bronchoscopy facilities are available at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, while the Delhi State Cancer Institute houses a linear accelerator used for radiotherapy. Rajiv Gandhi Hospital also has a cath lab and echo lab facilities, whereas GTB Hospital has a bone bank.

Under the integrated system, the government aims to ensure better coordination and optimal use of these costly medical technologies.

CM said the broader goal of this initiative is to build world-class healthcare facilities in Delhi and transform the capital into a major centre of medical excellence in the country.

She also announced that the Delhi government plans to develop the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) on the lines of the prestigious National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru. The institute will be developed as "NIMHANS-2."

As part of this plan, IHBAS will hand over 75 acres of its vacant land to GTB Hospital. This land will be used to develop a large Integrated Medical Institute that will bring together key healthcare institutions under a unified system. At present, the IHBAS campus spreads across about 111.69 acres, a significant portion of which remains available for future expansion. The existing hospital building itself occupies around 19.9 acres of the campus.

According to the Chief Minister, several buildings within the institute are quite old and have reached a dilapidated condition. Under the new integration project, these ageing structures will gradually give way to modern healthcare infrastructure.

The land will also support the development of new hostels, advanced laboratories such as pathology and biochemistry labs, as well as auditoriums and lecture theatres to strengthen medical education and training.

The government's broader vision is to bring these four institutions together and transform Delhi into a national hub of medical excellence.

The Chief Minister said the initiative will not only provide patients with world-class specialised treatment, but will also position Delhi as a leader in medical research and education in the country.

- ANI