Mumbai: 

Sea change: A new room at the maternity ward at Breach Candy Hospital, which looks out over the Arabian Sea. PIC/ALISHA COELHO

The Breach Candy Hospital plans to use the allure of nature to ensure that a patient's stay in the hospital is a pleasant one. Beginning with a new 10-room maternity ward that will be functional from August, the hospital plans to revamp all its rooms and ensure that they face the Arabian Sea. All rooms in the new maternity ward have a full or part view of the sea. The management of the hospital believes this will help patients in their recovery. There are also in-built alarm systems in the adjoining toilets to warn of any possible emergencies.

Private rooms on the fourth floor of the Breach Candy Hospital already faced the sea. The new maternity rooms have come up on the second floor, which had a pathology lab. A top management official of the hospital told MiD DAY that the hospital felt a nice area was being wasted. Hence, it was decided to have a ward in that area. Seven more rooms in the hospital will be redesigned to face the sea.

Santacruz resident Pushpa Hingorani, who was admitted to the hospital earlier this month, and luckily had a sea-facing room, agrees with the management. "Waking up every morning and looking at God's wonderful creation helped me greatly in my recovery," said Pushpa, who had a knee replacement surgery.

The doctors too are pleased. "Watching and listening to the sound of waves crashing against the shore is a nice break for us when we're doing our rounds in the hospital. I've noticed my patients also feel better in such rooms," said Dr Arun Mullaji, consultant orthopaedic surgeon.

"Most patients want a combination of privacy and openness and being left open with nature is comforting. I would personally like a sea-facing room if I was hospitalised," said Dr Vihang Vahia, consultant psychiatrist at the hospital.