Ahmedabad, Oct 24 (IANS): Gujarat will add 255 healthcare facilities and develop 45 more projects at a combined cost of Rs 532 crore, while Ahmedabad is set to get a 521-bed Institute of Neuroscience and Research Centre at an estimated cost of Rs 223 crore.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday inaugurated the 255 facilities virtually and laid the foundation stone for the new institute on the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital campus, as well as other healthcare projects across the state.
The newly constructed facilities have been developed at a cost of Rs 185 crore, while the 45 projects for which foundation stones were laid will require an investment of Rs 347 crore.
Speaking at the event in Ahmedabad, Patel said Gujarat's healthcare sector had undergone significant changes during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years in public service, including his tenure as chief minister of the state.
"The government is pursuing a three-pronged approach focused on disease prevention, health promotion and affordable treatment," he said.
Referring to the financial burden of serious illnesses on families, Patel said: "Eligible beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme are entitled to free treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh. More than 2.87 crore people in Gujarat had been issued Ayushman cards," he said.
The chief minister said the number of medical colleges in Gujarat had increased from eight in 2001-02 to 43 in 2025-26, while the number of MBBS seats had risen from 1,375 to 7,525 over the same period.
The proposed Institute of Neuroscience and Research Centre will have a built-up area of 58,831 square metres and 521 beds, including 288 general ward beds, 160 intensive care unit beds, 57 special and semi-special beds and 16 triage beds.
It will have 13 operation theatres designed to international standards, along with neurology and neurosurgery departments, emergency radiology, advanced laboratories, a blood bank and a Central Sterile Services Department.
The facility will also include a pneumatic tube system and an in-house neuro-rehabilitation centre.
It is intended to provide specialised treatment for strokes, brain and spinal cord disorders, and neurological injuries caused by accidents, as well as long-term rehabilitation.
The centre is expected to cater to patients from Gujarat and neighbouring states.
Minister of State for Health, Praful Pansheriya, said the projects would help extend medical services to remote areas. "A dedicated spine hospital is also planned within the Ahmedabad complex in the coming years, potentially expanding access to specialised treatment for patients from economically weaker and middle-income families," he said.
Pansheriya credited healthcare workers, doctors and ASHA workers with contributing to progress in tackling tuberculosis, controlling the Chandipura virus and malaria, and reducing maternal and child mortality.
"Gujarat's hospitals ranked first nationally in organ donation, and more than 1,400 ambulances under the 108 Emergency Service provided round-the-clock emergency care," he noted.
CM Patel said AIIMS is operational in Rajkot and a Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is being developed in Jamnagar.
Medicities modelled on Ahmedabad's healthcare complex are planned at Vasai and Kamrej at an estimated cost of around Rs 3,000 crore, while cardiology and neurology services are being expanded in Gandhinagar and Surat.
Addressing doctors and healthcare workers, Patel said: "Their role extended beyond diagnosis and treatment to building patients' confidence and providing emotional support to their families."
—
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
