Bengaluru: Sita Bhateja Hospital decides to close down

It has been the city’s premier health facility for nearly 55 years

Sita Bhateja Speciality Hospital, the premier health facility in Shantinagar serving the city for over 50 years, will close inpatient services from June 30 and outpatient services from July 31.

The hospital was set up in 1965 by doctor, philatelist, and philanthropist Dr Sita Bhateja, who died a year-and-a-half ago, aged 90.

A statement from its managing trustee and medical director Dr Arvind Bhateja said the existing team of specialists at the hospital will be moved to Sparsh Speciality Hospital on Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Road (Infantry Road).

“The Dr (Mrs) Sita Bhateja’s Nursing Home Charitable Trust, which runs and manages the hospital, will, however, continue its charitable activities as usual,” the statement read.

Dr Arvind, a noted neurosurgeon and Dr Sita's son, revealed that the decision to close the hospital was taken a year-and-a-half ago. “The hospital was always run by the family,” he said. “The next generation within the family chose to pursue fields unrelated to medicine. So, we have made the conscientious decision to move on to the next chapter.”

'Not related to pandemic'

Though the decision to close the hospital coincides with the Covid-19 crisis, Dr Arvind clarified that the pandemic had nothing to do with it.

“Some unfortunate false rumours are being spread on social media that we are closing down due to financial losses after the lockdown. This is totally untrue,” he said.

Over the years, the hospital has become synonymous with quality health care, especially in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology. Dr Arvind further widened the services by adding neuro and spine surgery, orthopaedics, intensive care, internal medicine, urology, plastic surgery, and maxillofacial surgery.