According to the arrangement between the hospital and DIAL, the hospital will officially take over charge from airport authority doctors on April 10. From April 10 till May 5, both hospital and airport authority doctors will work simultaneously. After that, charge will be handed over to the hospital doctors independently.

“The Apollo doctors do not know how to handle the wireless set and would not know about the basic working of the airport, including the call signs of airlines. Therefore will need at least a month of training,” said a senior doctor. Medical unit doctors attend to patients anywhere in the airport, be it airside or onboard aircraft.

DIAL had been discussing the option of privatising the medical unit with six hospitals, including Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Max Healthcare, Fortis Hospital, Escorts Hospital, St Stephen’s Hospital and Holy Family Hospital. But with Indraprastha Apollo already handling medical services at Hyderabad’s new airport, the IGI project was also handed to them.

Ambulances from the hospital have already reached the airport. The hospital will be running two medical centres with four beds each, one at Terminal I C (domestic arrival) and the other at Terminal II. Terminal I A and the cargo terminal will also have one bed each, with all basic first aid and stabilising equipment. A casualty evacuation centre will also be constructed at Terminal I C.