MUMBAI, July 14 -- More than a century after it was established, Dr BYL Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central is set to become the first civic-run hospital to have a dedicated disaster management ward, a first-of-its-kind facility designed to handle large-scale emergencies and mass casualties under one roof. The facility, which will occupy an entire floor of the hospital's newly upgraded casualty block, is expected to become operational in about six months with an initial capacity of 21 beds. Unlike conventional emergency wards, the dedicated unit will be equipped to simultaneously manage multiple patients during major disasters while maintaining reserve stocks of medicines, equipment and other critical medical supplies. It will also include a blood collection room for rapid laboratory testing. "The space is currently occupied by the cardiology ICU ward, which means most of the cardiology setup facilities like oxygen supply are already in place. We may also get additional staff for this facility soon," said Dr Shailesh Mohite, director of medical education of major BMC hospitals. The disaster ward will be equipped to respond to both natural and man-made calamities, including bomb blasts, building collapses, major fires, road accidents and earthquakes. It will also feature a patient decontamination room to safely treat people exposed to toxic or hazardous substances. "The idea is to first admit patients and stabilise them before sending them to specialised facilities. For instance, patients injured in fires or burn incidents can be stabilised here before being shifted to Kasturba Hospital, where specialised burns and plastic surgery services are available. There is no need to duplicate services," said Dr Mohite, who is the dean of Nair Hospital. He added that victims of building collapses and falls requiring orthopaedic care would similarly be stabilised at the disaster ward before being referred for specialised treatment. The aim is to spare the ordeal of rushing patients between multiple hospitals during a crisis....