Mumbai: Peek into swanky new Breach Candy Hospital wing

New wing at Breach Candy hospital. Pics/Shadab Khan

The Breach Candy Hospital now has an 11-storey sibling, post four years of labour. The city's premier medical facility has added one more building to its complex expanding its capacity. "We are up and rolling," said Breach Candy Hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Aniruddha Kohli. The new building that stands adjacent to its older, squatter sibling, is undergoing finishing touches to its facade. Said Dr Kohli on a frantically busy weekday morning, "It was obvious we needed to expand our facility. We have 206 rooms in our old building, and they were just not enough. Four years ago, we started on our second building. We lost construction time during COVID, but now we are full throttle," said the CEO who added that the hospital deliberately maintains a low profile. "This interview may be the exception. Otherwise, we prefer to let our work speak," smiled the CEO as one skipped down the stairs to different floors through the new building with its 66 rooms.

The art of healing with painting

New view

Windows on each floor as one stepped out of the elevators, gave a vantage view of the Coastal Road. Artworks were conspicuous in several corridors and rooms too. Kohli explained, "Several artworks have been donated by artists. We have art aficionados /collectors who have given us some choice pieces. The aim is to enhance the aesthetic factor. We must remember that nobody comes to the hospital out of choice, people come in because they have to. We need to make an effort to make them feel comfortable and give that home-ly, personal vibe, along with professionalism. The ambience is to dial back anxiety levels and decrease worry which usually comes with the territory of a visit to the hospital." The mental aspect is paramount as, he added, "We realise that half of medicine is psychology."

Subtle and classy waiting room

Speed, safety

High-tech meeting rooms, robotic surgery theatres and TV-linked operation theatres are part of what is, "not just an expansion but an upgradation," explained Kohli and as he spoke, one walked down a very wide staircase. The staircase has steps that also light up at night so that visibility is not compromised. "This has been done in case of a fire. The width allows easier mobility and of course, lights take care of the visibility aspect," said Kohli. Visibility and velocity make an effective combination, as there is also a ‘Code Blue' button in the rooms. "If a patient thinks he needs help, he can press the button, or a relative can do so, and this activates a ‘flying squad' of doctors who will arrive into the room pronto," added the CEO pointing to the button.

The impressive width of the staircase

Lessons learnt

One of the many lessons that the COVID pandemic taught people, especially healthcare providers is the need for dedicated spaces for, "isolation, and that is why we have the seventh floor, which has isolation rooms. We also have a refuge area on the sixth floor. This building is linked to the other through bridges, it is designed to facilitate accessibility," said Kohli as one exited the complex.

The button that says Code Blue for the flying squad

Shadows of workers with harnesses were seen as they worked on the façade of the new building. People were already moving into the space, an ‘add on' to the existing facility, a SoBo sibling, Breach Candy cousin, call it what you will, and a much-needed one at that.