The UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday, said that the long-overdue Advanced Paediatric Center is taking shape in the state now, 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.

Addressing the inauguration and foundation stone laying programmer 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 Advanced Paediatric 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.

Yogi also 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.