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INHS ASWINI

© Sainik Samachar

Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Aswini, the largest of the seven hospitals of the Indian Navy, is a 825-bed multi-speciality hospital. It is named after Asvini Kumars - the twin Vedic gods of light who are supposed to bring health, happiness and inspiration from heaven to earth. According to Vedas, the term Aswini conveys ideas pertaining to a physician or a healer who gives marvellous aid and bring treasures to the human beings. Established in 1756 as King's Seaman Hospital, INHS Aswini has a glorious history. In 1788, it was rechristened Bombay Marine Hospital. In 1863, the hospital was transferred to the Royal Army and later it served during World Wars I and II as a combined services hospital.

After independence, it was taken over by the Indian Army and named as Military Hospital, Colaba. On 01 September 1951, the hospital was transferred to Indian Navy and commissioned as INHS Aswini. To keep pace with the fast changing time and technology, the hospital has been undergoing a major modernisation at a cost of 100 crore. With the completion of this modernisation program by the end of this year, the Indian Navy will be having one of the most modern, super speciality and tertiary care service hospitals with the state-of-the-art equipment and advanced medical services.

INHS Aswini is one of the few hospitals in the country with facilities for hyperbaric oxygen therapy which is used for treatment of a large number of medical and surgical conditions. This facility is catered to the requirements of civilian patients also. The neonatal unit at this hospital is one of the best in the country. It is equipped with servo controlled incubators, electronic monitors, ventilators etc. Renal transplant centre has done yeomen services. A total of 150 renal transplants have so far been carried out at this centre. The oncology centre at the hospital offers surgical treatment and chemotherapy for cancer patients whereas radioisotope department has facilities for radioisotope scanning of human organs.

The eye department has facilities for carrying out keratoplasty to restore vision for the blind. The dermatology department is doing remarkable job in treating various skin-related diseases. On the whole, the hospital is the custodian of the health of the Services personnel. For its exemplary services, the hospital won the best Naval Hospital's Award several times. At present, the hospital is undergoing massive modernisation for which Rs.130 crore was allocated. Phase 1 of the project has been completed and functioning since September 2001. The final phase will be completed by October 2002.