Yogi Adityanath talks about his first hand experience of child health issues

Lucknow, October 22 , 2024 – Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, said that the long-overdue Advanced Pediatric Center is taking shape in Uttar Pradesh today, thanks to the efforts of the double-engine government. Emphasising his close, first hand experience of the health issues affecting children in the state, he mentioned that during his time as an MP, he raised this issue both in Parliament and through protests.

The Chief Minister was addressing the inauguration and foundation stone laying program of various projects of SGPGI. He said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, the state is making continuous progress in healthcare. Before 2017, there were medical colleges in only 18 districts, but now there are medical colleges in 64 districts. The state is quickly moving towards the goal of having One District, One College.

He mentioned that the number of MBBS and PG seats has more than doubled in the recent past. He also highlighted the success in addressing the issue of Japanese encephalitis, noting that this is a significant achievement, especially since it primarily affected children. Earlier, he inspected Saloni Heart Center, Advanced Diabetes Center, and Tele ICU.

The Chief Minister inaugurated several healthcare facilities at SGPGI, including the Advanced Diabetes Center, Tele ICU, Saloni Heart Center (Phase 1), and a hostel for the College of Medical Technology, with a total investment of Rs 1,147 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for the Advanced Pediatric Center, Saloni Heart Center (Phase 2), and Rain Basera.

CM Yogi highlighted that SGPGI is one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the country and the state, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that seriously ill patients from various regions—eastern, western, central, Bundelkhand, and Vindhya—can access beds there, despite existing challenges. The state government is actively working to resolve these issues.

The Advanced Pediatric Center will have 575 beds and offer services from 22 departments, providing treatments for hormonal issues, diabetes, pediatric ICU care, emergency pediatric genetics, pediatric neurology, and more—all under one roof.

He noted that the first phase of the Saloni Heart Center has commenced, and an MoU for the second phase has been signed. This center, equipped with world-class facilities, aims to perform serious heart surgeries on 5,000 children annually, and will offer second opinions to another 10,000 children each year.

Additionally, CM Yogi announced the start of construction of a 1,000-bed night shelter funded by Rs 51 crore from ONGC’s CSR initiative, which will significantly benefit attendants visiting the hospital. The shelter will also feature parking and canteen facilities, offering meals for just Rs 15 to Rs 20. The hostel for 200 students at the College of Medical Technology has also been completed.

CM Yogi congratulated SGPGI on these initiatives and assured that the state government would provide all necessary support to ensure timely progress. Key officials present at the inauguration included Deputy CM Brijesh Pathak, Minister of State Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, and other dignitaries.

Inaugurated Projects:
– Advanced Diabetes Center
– Tele ICU
– Saloni Heart Center (Phase 1)
– Hostel of College of Medical Technology

Foundation stone laid for:
– Advanced Pediatric Center
– Saloni Heart Center (Phase 2)
– Rain Basera