DTMT Network
AHMEDABAD: The bed strength of the Sheth Vadilal Sarabhai General Hospital (VS Hospital) in Ahmedabad will be reduced to just 500 beds from the existing 1,160-beds and will not be associated with the Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation adopted the final resolution at the VS board meeting with majority. This was in absence of VS trustees, who are opposed to the move to reduce the number of beds in the existing VS Hospital. In the meeting, it was also decided that the medical staff of the VS hospital will now be associated with the Sardar Patel Institute of Medical Science and Research (SPIMSR).

AMC Mayor Bijal Patel said, “The Corporation will go in for new recruitment of staff for the VS hospital. The hospital will oversee the new recruitment and the same will be taken care by the Ahmedabad Municipal Urban Health Society. The hospital will offer free services to the poor and needy.”

Patel further said that the VS hospital was started as a 120-bed hospital with the contribution of Rs 4 lakh received from Seth Vadilal Sarabhai and Rs 1.20 lakh from Chinoi Trust.

The trustees of the hospital opposed the AMC decision. The trust members were adamant that the number of beds in the hospital should continue to be 1,160 and not 500.

The members are up in arms against the corporation over the decision. The Hospital Board has given permission to the deputy municipal commissioner to talk to the trustee and work out a solution to the standoff.