My experience at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi

Nobody wants to go to a hospital, except for doctors and hospital staff of course. Recently due to a medical call my doctor recommended Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for an amniocentesis test as in Delhi it is the only hospital where amniocentesis is performed with great care and speciality.

My husband and I reached the hospital very early to avoid any kind of rush. But the doctor who I was supposed to meet came at 11:30 pm. So my advice would be better to take a prior appointment to avoid any kind of rush, sitting idly and waiting for your turn. Anyhow, we waited for our turn. There were patients from all strata of society and almost all across the country and foreigners as well. A female sitting just next to me was very talkative and so talking to each and every patient. I was sad to see one and a half years old child whose height was not growing but was active otherwise. His mother was worried and they from Jabalpur. Then, another female, about 36 years of age came and sat just next to me on the other side. She made an initiative to talk as I usually do not talk to strangers so easily. She was expecting her third child. She has gone for the third pregnancy as earlier she had two daughters and her family now wanted a son. Frankly I got very angry on this but did not show it, though I asked her that if boys and girls are equal then why are you are taking the pain and risk associated with the test and pregnancy itself. She said that it is the mentality of Indians who always wish for a boy not girl.

Then she asked me, “Do you have any child?” I said, “yes”. “Male or female?” another question. “Son”, I said. “Oh then you don’t have to worry.”, she said. But for me and my family there were no such pre-thoughts that we needed a boy or a girl, as all we wanted was a healthy baby. But just having daughters should not make you sad. Once I read a survey on the happiness of the families and it was concluded that a family having two daughters is the happiest of all. But our mind is not at all trained to think like this. We keep on wandering for one or another thing in life. That is why most of the Indians have such a mentality and can do anything for the birth of a male child. Why do we need a male child? Only because he will be a support and take care of his parents in their old age and girls after marriage will move to another home. Not only this but many parents feel that they will get dowry on his marriage along with bride no doubt. But I have seen that after marriage girls care for their parents more and always there whenever they need her, although not staying with them. But most of the boys after marriage become a third party and listen to their wives. So just because it was perceived like this by our forefathers so we have to act according to that only. Is it right? Remove these shackles, change your thought and let your girl child breathe the life and live strongly in so called male-dominated society.

Coming back to hospital, it is a well managed and a multispecialty hospital with very experienced teams of doctors in various departments. One complete wing is dedicated to research and development. Doctor I.C. Sharma, Head of the Department of Genetics whom I met was a real master in his field. Also the doctor who had performed amniocentesis was very experienced that I didn’t even feel the needle going inside. But on the other hand the hospital is very expensive. Total cost of amniocentesis is Rs 13000 + Rs 1000 consolation fee of doctor (for private visitors) + Rs 3000 for ultra sound. Normal ultrasound that cost you around Rs 800 costs Rs 3000 there. So how a normal person would afford these expensive tests and the hospital?

Related information:

Ganga Ram hospital location

Hospitals in Delhi