Mumbai, Sep 4: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday announced a fund of Rs 100 crore for Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai on the occasion of its centenary year.

Thackeray made the announcement while virtually attending the civic-run hospital 's centenary celebrations.

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The chief minister lauded the efforts of the institution in "adapting to modern technology while providing effective health care services".

"The COVID-19 pandemic was unexpected and unprecedented, and doctors are saving the lives of patients selflessly. It is because of them that the pandemic is under control," he said.

Thackeray said that 100 years ago, the Spanish flu pandemic had wreaked havoc and very little information about it may be available now.

"But now the need of the hour is to document the steps taken to tackle coronavirus and what needs to be done in case another pandemic breaks out in future. Such information should be available and preserved for another 50 to 100 years," he said.

Thackeray said that 100 years ago, this institution came into being thanks to the philanthropists and their donations.

He announced a fund of Rs 100 crore for the institution and said it should continue to strive to provide health care services to people.

He recalled that when the coronavirus pandemic broke out last year, there were only two labs in the state - Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

"Today there are over 600 labs. The bed capacity has increased from 7,000-8,000 to 4.5 lakh (beds). The genome sequencing lab has been set up at the Nair hospital," he said.

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