Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMMC) in Indore has started four new departments, including two in its Super Speciality (SS) Hospital. The move comes after the installation of high-end equipment worth INR 4 crore ($534,000) to support complex tumour surgeries, among other procedures.

The new departments are Head and Neck surgery, Radiodiagnosis, Emergency Medicine and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR). The first two have been set up in the SS hospital, while the other two are broader departments.

The SS hospital has received a high-grade microscope, drills, hand equipment and other tools, worth INR 2 crore, to support surgeries requiring intricate procedures such as joining small vessels. The equipment will be used in the Head and Neck surgery and Radiodiagnosis departments.

Dr Sumit Shukla, Superintendent of the SS Hospital, said that the new departments would prove beneficial for patients. The increase in surgeries performed in the hospital has created a need for additional departments, he added.

The college has appointed at least 22 faculty members in three days to support the new departments, and the purchase of another INR 2 crore microscope has been made for the Emergency Medicine department. This microscope will be provided to the plastic surgery department for performing various surgeries.

The Emergency Medicine and PMR departments have been added to the list of compulsory departments through a Gazette of India published on October 28, 2020. Medical colleges are required to set up these departments from the 2022-2023 session.

Dr Sanjay Dixit, Dean of MGMMC, said that the four new departments, including the two in the super speciality hospital, have been set up for the betterment of patients.