Mr. Robert Percival, A Trustee of BMHT talking to gas victims at one of the mini units.

  BHOPAL ; as the city is all set to observe the 25^th anniversary of the worlds’ worst ever man made industrial disaster, there is no respite to the innumerable problems of the gas victims, particularly the health problem.    The only hope for them is Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, (BMHRC) a super specialty hospital, equipped with most ultra modern machines meant for them to provide free medical facilities.

            Within a span of nine years, this hospital has carved its name by not only mitigating the sufferings of the people, but also by doing costliest surgeries including the open heart surgery entirely free of cost. Probably nowhere such a facility is available for the patients.

            And the   popularity of this hospital can be gauged from the fact that since its inception in 2000, the hospital has recorded a whooping number of 37 lakh visits of gas victims to its main hospital as well as its   eight out reach health centers. Nowhere such a large number of patients were treated in one unit. Out of the total number of the gas victims, as many as 3.77 lacks have been registered with the BMHRC and their number is constantly increasing.

            Spreading over an area of area of 83 acres, the BMHRC is supported by eight of its out reach health centers or mini units where on an average 2400 gas victims are reporting daily. The mini units equipped with all facilities and headed by a senior medical   officer examined the patients and if needed referred   them to the main hospital for specialized treatment. On an average 600   patients are reporting daily   in the main hospital for specialized treatment.

            Most of the gas victims reporting BMHRC are having eye problems followed by the psychiatry problems. Equipped with the most ultra modern machines and the team of highly qualified doctors, the   hospital tried to   mitigate their sufferings upto a large extent.

          BMHRC has the credit of having the first for full fledged cardiac center, in Bhopal , the capital of Madhya Pradesh State , thus saving the lives of  hundreds of  patients. Since  2002,  the number of cardiac patients reported in BMHRC is  95,881 out of  which 15,460  have been hospitalized for treatment as well as for performing angiographies and angioplasties.

          Similarly   in the CTVS department 27,128 OPD visits have been recorded and 4,026 have been hospitalized for various procedures including by pass surgeries. 

          In the nephrology department 30,015 OPD visits have been recorded where as 3,989 have been hospitalized.

          The    number of patients visiting other departments   from 2002 include Urology 39,770, G I surgery 54,409, G I Medicine 57,971, pulmonary 43,809, neuro medicine 77,402, neuro surgery 34,612, ophthalmology 96,829 and psychiatry 88,137.  

            Mr. Robert Percival, a trustee from England , who is on a visit to Bhopal said ‘It is said that BMHRC is one of   the few good things to come out of the tragedy. He hoped that the gas victims too agree with him.