ESIC hospital to expand bed capacity by 68%, will become largest in state

The ESIC-run Medical College and Hospital in Faridabad is set to undergo a significant upgrade with a 68 per cent increase in the bed capacity of its In-Patient Department (IPD). This expansion will not only make the hospital one of the largest in the state but also position it among the top government-run or ESIC hospitals nationwide.

Currently, the hospital operates with 800 commissioned beds, though its structural capacity since opening in 2015 has been 650 beds. The hospital provides primary and tertiary healthcare services to workers covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Corporation. Sources within the hospital report that the daily OPD attendance has surged to around 5,000, with the bed occupancy in the IPD fluctuating between 800 and 1,100.

Two years ago, then Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Bhupender Yadav, announced plans to establish a new 500-bed super-specialty hospital in Faridabad. Recently, the authorities have released the work order for the project. Construction of a new block is expected to commence next month, which will boost the hospital’s bed capacity to 1,350. The government has already approved a budget of Rs 625 crore for the upgrade. Dr Anil Kumar Pandey, dean of the Medical College and Hospital, confirmed that proposals to establish a Trauma Centre and a Cancer Unit have been approved in principle.

Despite the expansion, the hospital faces a significant staffing shortage, particularly in the regular medical and nursing staff. Sources claim that the hospital is currently operating with only 35 per cent of its required regular doctors and less than 20 per cent of its nursing staff. The remainder of the workforce is employed on a contractual basis, a situation that has raised concerns due to the low wages and job insecurity.