Infosys Foundation, the social service arm of the Infosys Technologies, a global Information Technology major, is constructing a hospital in Pune in the premises of the existing Sason Government Hospital. The new hospital, which is a four-storied complex (ground plus three) spans over an area of 32,500 sq.ft, will offer state of the art treatment and diagnosis in cardiology, paediatrics and nephrology.

The company has invested Rs.4 crore in the new medical facility, which will be equipped with operation theatres in all the floors, Intensive Care Units, laboratory, air conditioners and elevators.

The construction is handled by the company's builders JMC Contractors in Pune and the architects are Ms. Sundaram Associates.

"We believe that the government is the biggest healthcare provider for the people in our country and hence Infosys Foundation have decided to help the existing government hospitals with better infrastructure," Sudha Murthy, chairperson, Infosys Foundation told Pharmabiz.com.

The new facility will be a super speciality hospital where free treatment will be provided to patients who need advanced diagnosis and treatment. The hospital is scheduled for completion in the next 12-13 months, said Murthy who added that there had been minor delays in the initial stages for plan approval. The panel of doctors at Sason Government hospital will utilise the equipment and facility and all this will be free of cost for the patients.

Infosys took up the project, as its primary areas of focus are rural primary health and education. Hence the reason for taking up the construction of a facility in government hospital is that the poorest of the poor come here for treatment, said Murthy.

The Foundation is also in the process of setting up a 150-bed children's hospital in Bhubaneswar, which is expected to be completed next year. This is a joint venture agreement with Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar and the Foundation. The unique feature of the hospital is that for serious and chronic disease cases admitted in the Intensive Care Unit, the child's mother will be provided a room with kitchen all free of cost.

This apart, the Foundation has built a dharmashala for cancer patients at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bangalore. Patients and their relatives who come from other districts in the State for chemotherapy or treatment can reside here free of cost. In Tamil Nadu too, the Foundation has built an annexe in the Government Cancer Hospital.

In the premises of the Bellary Medical College Hospital, a special department for treatment and diagnosis of brain fever has been set up as the district is known for this killer disease.

For the Victoria Hospital in Bangalore which is one of the oldest establishments in the State, the Foundation has air conditioned the Burns Ward here.

"In addition to these specific projects, we are donating medical diagnostic equipments and life saving equipments to several medical centres in the rural areas regularly, informed Murthy.