India’s leading carmaker Maruti Suzuki in partnership with Zydus Hospitals has announced the start of a multi-speciality hospital at Sitapur in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. With a total capital expenditure of Rs 126 crores, the said hospital has been fully funded by the Maruti Suzuki Foundation – a CSR initiative of Maruti Suzuki. The hospital will be managed and operated by Ramanbhai Foundation, the CSR arm of Zydus Group. The hospital is also taking care of Covid-19 patients during its initial start. The company said in a press release that the said facility is expected to serve more than 3.75 lakh people residing at Sitapur and adjoining villages at quite affordable charges. The hospital is starting as a 50-bed facility initially and as and when the demand increases, it can be expanded to 100 beds.
The company says that the infrastructure is already in-place for the expansion of the facility, which is spread over 7.5 acres of area. The hospital is the first one in the area with super specialization services. The 24×7 super specialization hospital offers services like emergency care and trauma, advanced diagnostics, critical care for stabilization in life-threatening conditions, along with mother & childcare, cardiac care, eye care, burns, ENT, internal medicine and also, general medicine. The hospital is currently manned by qualified and experienced doctors recruited and trained by Zydus Hospitals. It further has an integrated residential facility with 160 dormitory occupancy and 20 two-BHK flats for the staff that is employed in managing operations of the hospital. The residential facility has a gymnasium, cafeteria, shops, library, and a garden as well.
Speaking on the announcement, Kenichi Ayukawa, MD, and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India said that when the company’s Gujarat car plant started, there was no major medical facility available in the region. Maruti Suzuki decided to build a good quality multi-speciality hospital for the benefit of all residents of the area and partnered with Zydus Hospitals. He adds that fortunately, it was in time for the Covid-19 second wave and the hospital has been converted into a Covid-19 care facility to help fight the pandemic.