Lucknow: King George’s Medical University (KGMU) is set to expand its cardiology services with the addition of 56 beds in its new 10-storey cardiology block, taking the department’s total bed strength from 84 to 130.Of the 56 beds, 32 general beds are expected to become operational within two weeks. The remaining 24 private beds will be launched later under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.The Rs 37-crore project was originally scheduled for completion in 2021 but was delayed after KGMU discovered that a fire exit ramp, required for obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department, was not part of the original design. With the ramp now operational, the university has secured the NOC and is preparing to start services in the new facility.Head of the cardiology department Prof Rishi Sethi said the building is ready and three floors are already being used for OPD and other services. “The remaining services will be started soon,” he said.Prof Sethi said KGMU is conducting interviews to recruit nurses, paramedical personnel and other staff on a contractual basis to support the expansion. Permanent staff will be added later.The new building houses cath labs, monitoring nursing stations, echocardiography machines, temporary pacemakers, multi-channel ECG machines and treadmill test (TMT) machines.KGMU officials said the requirement for the fire exit ramp was identified during the final stages of the project, leading to additional expenditure and delays in approvals. The Covid-19 pandemic also extended the project’s timeline by nearly two years.A senior KGMU official said the expansion would provide relief to patients who often have to wait for beds, especially in intensive care units.
