PM Modi to launch Rs 1,250 crore PGIMER expansion tomorrow; impact will be massive: Dr Vivek Lal
Chandigarh, July 16
Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Dr Vivek Lal, on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicate medical infrastructure projects worth around Rs 1,250 crore during his visit to Chandigarh on Friday. The move is expected to significantly strengthen advanced medical care across seven northern states.
Speaking to ANI, Lal said PM Modi, accompanied by Union Health Minister JP Nadda, will inaugurate the Advanced Maternal and Child Care Centre and the Advanced Neuroscience Centre, and lay the foundation stone of a new Critical Care Block, besides multiple other projects.
"Prime Minister will visit Chandigarh tomorrow along with Health Minister JP Nadda and will inaugurate and dedicate medical projects worth Rs 1,250 crore at PGI. The two main projects are the Advanced Maternal and Child Care Centre and the Advanced Neuroscience Centre. The foundation stone for the Critical Care Block will also be laid. The impact of these projects at PGI is going to be massive because PGI provides state-of-the-art care to patients at literally free-of-cost prices under the Ayushman scheme," Lal said.
Highlighting the significance of the Advanced Neuroscience Centre, Lal said the facility will transform neurological care by expanding capacity from the existing 50 beds to over 300 inpatient beds.
"The Advanced Neuroscience Centre will have 300 inpatient beds, 60 ICU beds with state-of-the-art ventilators, and 40 emergency beds. It will also have modern CT scan and MRI facilities, modular operation theatres and advanced infrastructure. The Neurology and Neurosurgery departments earlier functioned with only 50 beds. This expansion is a win-win situation for our patients," he said.
Lal further said the 300-bed Advanced Maternal and Child Care Centre will provide specialised treatment for mothers and newborns with dedicated ICUs, private wards and modern medical facilities. He added that the proposed 150-bed Critical Care Block under the Ayushman scheme would further strengthen emergency and critical healthcare services at the institute.
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, urging commuters to avoid the Chandigarh-Nayagaon Barrier to PEC Light Point and Sector 2/3/10-11 Chowk stretch till 3 pm on Friday.
Authorities said traffic diversions and restrictions may be imposed on other routes as well, advising residents to use alternate roads and follow real-time updates issued by the Chandigarh Traffic Police. Guests and invitees have also been directed to park only in designated parking areas.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see maternal and child care getting dedicated infrastructure. My sister had her delivery at PGI last year and the existing facility was overcrowded. This Advanced Maternal and Child Care Centre will be a blessing for countless mothers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal.
Rs 1,250 crore is serious money. But let's see how quickly these projects actually get completed and operational. PGI has a great reputation but infrastructure projects often face delays. Hope the PM's personal inauguration ensures timely execution. Also, the traffic advisory is a pain for locals tomorrow 😅
"Literally free-of-cost under Ayushman" is a great point by Dr Lal. The expansion will benefit the poorest patients who come to PGI from remote villages. The critical care block under Ayushman is a game-changer. But we also need more doctors and nurses to staff these new centres—infrastructure alone isn't enough.
Yay! My uncle had to wait 3 months for a neurology appointment at PGI last year. 300 beds will make a huge difference. Glad the government is investing in healthcare infrastructure. But I wish similar attention was given to primary health centres in rural areas too.
The neurological care expansion from 50 to 300 beds is incredible—PGI is the last hope for many complex brain and spine cases. The mention of 60 ICU beds with modern ventilators is reassuring. Let's hope these facilities are properly maintained and not just showpieces for photo-ops.
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