GMCH-32's New Emergency Facility Overwhelmed by Patient Rush
The recently inaugurated Emergency and Trauma Block at Government Medical College & Hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh, is already operating at full capacity, handling approximately 300 patients daily with over 100% occupancy rates. The state-of-the-art facility, which opened in August 2025, was designed to revolutionize emergency care in the region but is now facing unprecedented pressure from patient influx.
From 50 to 100 Beds: Infrastructure Expansion
The new emergency block represents a significant upgrade from the hospital's previous emergency setup. Before the expansion, GMCH-32 operated with just 50 emergency beds, yet managed to accommodate about 120 patients daily. The new facility has doubled the emergency bed capacity to 100 beds and features a total of 207 beds across its comprehensive trauma and emergency care unit.
The modern infrastructure spans two basements and three upper storeys, housing:
- A state-of-the-art triage area for patient assessment
- Fully equipped operation theatres
- Advanced intensive care units
- Dedicated surgical and medical wards
- Comprehensive diagnostic facilities including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI
- Complete blood investigation services
Regional Healthcare Challenges Surface
Despite the expanded facilities, the hospital is witnessing almost three times the patient load compared to pre-expansion numbers. Professor G P Thami, Director-Principal of GMCH, highlighted the systemic challenges driving this overwhelming response.
"Until health services improve on the periphery and the referral system is properly executed, government hospitals in Chandigarh will continue facing this unprecedented rush," Prof Thami stated. He emphasized that no matter how many beds are added, there will always be a need for additional trolleys, particularly in emergency and trauma departments.
The new block was expected to reduce patient burden at PGI Emergency, which operates 100 beds but treats 250-300 patients daily. However, the increased capacity at GMCH-32 has instead attracted more patients from across the region, creating new pressure points.
Future Plans and Adjustments
The overwhelming demand has forced hospital administration to reconsider their space allocation strategy. Initially, the plan was to convert the old emergency area to expand maternity services, providing 25-30 additional beds for maternity care to ease pressure on the labor room.
However, with the new block already facing bed shortages, GMCH will now propose using the old emergency area for additional emergency care services. This adjustment reflects the ongoing challenge of meeting the region's growing healthcare demands despite significant infrastructure investments.
The situation at GMCH-32 underscores the critical need for comprehensive healthcare system improvements across the region, including better peripheral health services and more efficient referral mechanisms to distribute patient load effectively.
