The 180-year-old Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy (J. J.) Hospital, part of the J. J. Group of Hospitals, has planned several projects: a 1,200, bed state-of-the-art super specialty center; revamping its infrastructure; initiating four new specialized courses; introducing robotic surgery in the surgical and orthopedics departments; and adding a new luxury residential complex to house 1,500 families of staff members. The Hospital and its companion Grant Medical College opened their doors in 1845. The first patients were admitted on May 28 and the first students on November 1 of that year, Dr Sunil Pandya, neurosurgeon, student of medical ethics, medical historian and alumnus of the institution informed Parsiana.
Clockwise from top: vintage view of Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Hospital
Photo: Wikipedia; statue of the benefactor; Hospital building
Speaking to The Indian Express on September 2, 2024, Hospital dean Dr Pallavi Saple stated that the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the need for better infrastructure. "Our decades-old facility is being updated to support four new specialized courses: in geriatrics, immunohematology, interventional cardiology and emergency medicine… We are upgrading the old building, including intensive care units and operation theaters… Every bed will now be an oxygen bed, and some wards are being converted into high dependency units to provide better care for patients.”
Stating that these developments at the Hospital his ancestor endowed were a move in the right direction, Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, Eighth Baronet told Parsiana on September 19 that he was not sufficiently qualified to comment on the intricacies of the subject, but was delighted to learn about this initiative on the part of the Hospital.
The introduction of new specializations has significantly expanded their master’s programs. "In 2017, we had 127 annual admissions; now, we have 309… To support this growth, we are constructing a super-specialty building that will add 1,200 beds to our current capacity of 1,352, ensuring that our students have the best environment for learning and practice, while also enhancing patient care.”
The Rs 728 crore residential complex of eight luxury towers to accommodate the families of staff members will have podium parking, gardens and a swimming pool. It has been designed to improve the quality of life, morale and productivity of the Hospital’s workforce, according to Saple.
The dean referred to the new cutting-edge virtual anatomy dissection table that was recently introduced. "We are one of the first government-run hospitals in Maharashtra to acquire such advanced virtual anatomy dissection technology. The system offers a detailed three-dimensional model of the human body enabling exploration from any angle and repeated practice without traditional cadaveric constraints… Users interact with the virtual model via touchscreens or controls, layering, slicing and exploring various body systems. This hands-on, customized learning experience enhances educational precision and accessibility at the global standard.”
A museum on medical education is on the cards. "Unlike the colonial era medical colleges in Calcutta and Madras, J. J. Hospital was the first institution created for the Indian population.” The museum will showcase 100-year-old historic images, busts, and a Bible of anatomy, illustrated by the College’s first professor, stated the news report.
Medical historian Dr Mridula Ramanna stated that the seeds of the Hospital were sown when Sir J. J., the First Baronet, observed that the Bombay Native Dispensary established in 1834 was inadequate for the treatment of the sick (see "Succor for the sick,” Parsiana, April 21, 2015). "Jejeebhoy conveyed his desire to the colonial administration to donate a sum of Rs 1,00,000. The administration funded an equal amount and a managing committee of three was set up, of which two members were appointed by the administration… It is recorded the then governor, who personally escorted Jejeebhoy to the inauguration of the Hospital in 1845, mentioned at the ceremony that the Hospital would provide relief to ‘all of the sick and poor of Bombay.’ The Hospital opened with 300 beds, of which 240 were for men and 60 for women.”
Today the Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals is a conglomerate of four institutions: Sir J. J. Hospital, St Georges Hospital, Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital, Cama and Albless Hospitals, notes their website.