CM Gupta vows to revive IHBAS
New Delhi: In a startling revelation, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday expressed shock over the absence of MRI and CT scan facilities at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences
(IHBAS) for more than a decade, promising to revive the premier mental health institute on a priority basis.
During a surprise inspection of IHBAS in Dilshad Garden, the Chief Minister interacted with patients, families, and staff, and reviewed the state of facilities at the hospital. Gupta said she was “deeply disappointed” that a reputed institution, considered one of North Asia’s leading centres for mental and neurological health, had been left neglected by successive governments.
“There was no MRI machine in the hospital from 2012 and no CT scan machine either. There are limited options for X-ray. The hospital treats neurological issues not only from Delhi but also NCR. I received several complaints regarding
IHBAS. There is a need to revive this huge asset of the Delhi government,” Gupta told reporters after her visit.
The Chief Minister highlighted that IHBAS handles 2,500–3,000 OPD cases every day but continues to function with only 317 beds and just ten ventilator beds. She noted that the medical team had been “doing remarkable work despite being forced to operate without essential diagnostic equipment.”
Gupta announced that her government would immediately begin the construction of a new building for IHBAS, including a large, modern OPD. “We will build a new structure for IHBAS. In this financial year, we will create infrastructure for MRI, ultrasound and CT scan,” she said. The new facilities will also include X-ray units, additional staffing, and administrative improvements. The hospital has 111 acres of land but only 20 percent is currently utilized. Gupta said her government would ensure that this land is better used to expand healthcare capacity. Taking a swipe at previous governments, she added, “The previous government boasted of its health model and made tall claims about constructing new hospitals, but left projects incomplete. We are now completing those unfinished hospitals on a priority basis.”
Gupta assured patients and families that her government’s “topmost priority” was to equip IHBAS with modern facilities and transform it into a world-class centre for mental and neurological healthcare.
