Lucknow, September 11: Following the unprecedented expansion of medical education in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Government is taking a major step to further strengthen the infrastructure of medical institutions and healthcare facilities available to patients. Under the Medical Education Department, 65 projects worth around Rs. 1,606.83 crore at various medical colleges and medical institutions across the state are ready for foundation laying and inauguration. Of these, 44 projects worth around Rs. 1,400.70 crore involve foundation laying, while 21 projects worth around Rs. 206.13 crore involve inauguration.
A key feature of these projects is that government's focus is not limited to constructing new buildings alone. In line with the increased seats in medical colleges, facilities ranging from hostels, lecture theatres and examination buildings to nursing colleges, trauma centers, MCH centers, infectious disease hospitals, transplant units, sewerage and water supply are also being developed. In other words, along with the expansion of medical education, work is underway to strengthen the entire support infrastructure.
The largest proposed project is the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow. The proposed project includes constructing a 1010-bed hospital building above the existing basement at the institute's new campus in Gomti Nagar Extension, at a cost of around Rs. 855.04 crore. This project alone indicates a major expansion of the state's medical infrastructure. Similarly, a multi-story modern patient attendant canteen has also been proposed at Gorakhpur Medical College at a cost of around Rs. 43.68 crore. Preparations are underway for a new generator at Kanpur Medical College and its affiliated hospitals and for construction of a new infectious disease hospital at a cost of around Rs. 49.40 crore.
Several projects related to medical facilities and campus infrastructure have been proposed at Meerut Medical College. These include upgrading the existing Level-2 Trauma Center into a 100-bed Level-1 Trauma Center at a cost of around Rs 48.15 crore and constructing an MCH Center in the Department of Pediatrics at a cost of around Rs 34.82 crore. In addition, the sewerage system, women's and men's PG hostels, water supply system, 10 MLD STP and basic electricity-related infrastructure will also be strengthened. Thus, along with treatment facilities for patients, work will simultaneously be undertaken on the campus infrastructure required for medical students and doctors.
Developing academic and residential facilities in accordance with the expansion of medical seats is an important part of Yogi Government's strategy. In view of the increase in MBBS UG seats at Jhansi Medical College, around Rs. 28.44 crore has been proposed to construct lecture theatres, an air-conditioned library, a conference hall, a cafeteria, and an examination hall in a multi-story building. Along with this, a project worth around Rs. 26.89 crore has been proposed to construct a 272-bed UG girls' hostel. Preparations are underway in Etah to construct boys' and girls' hostels and other infrastructure facilities on campus. Projects such as a 100-bed girls' hostel, 100-bed boys' hostel and STP have been proposed in Kushinagar. At Ayodhya Medical College, the government has proposed constructing a 100-bed internship hostel, a 100-bed boys' hostel, and a 100-bed UG girls' hostel, among other facilities.
The Yogi Government is also placing special emphasis on developing trained nursing human resources in the state, along with doctors. The proposed foundation-laying projects include establishing a nursing college at Gonda Medical College at a cost of around Rs. 9.93 crore. Meanwhile, the projects ready for inauguration include nursing colleges at the autonomous state medical colleges in Bahraich, Ayodhya and Hardoi. A 60-seat BSc Nursing College at Saharanpur Medical College at a cost of around Rs. 20.82 crore and a College of Nursing at the Government Institute of Medical Sciences, Greater Noida, at a cost of around Rs. 20.82 crore are also included in the list.
The scope of the projects extends far beyond classrooms and hospitals at medical colleges. Several works related to doctors' residences, Type-1, Type-2 and Type-4 residences, two lecture halls with a capacity of 200 each, an intern men's hostel, faculty parking, a firefighting system, a guest house, and other campus facilities have been proposed at the Autonomous State Medical College in Jaunpur. At Maa Vindhyavasini Autonomous State Medical College in Mirzapur, hostels with a capacity of 160 for MBBS students and 140 for female students, along with soundproof construction work in four lecture halls, have been proposed. The proposal also includes a clinical block at OPEC Hospital, Kally, in Basti, along with new buildings such as a guest house, bank, shopping complex, and mortuary on the same campus. In Shahjahanpur, the list includes projects related to renovation and construction of the Emergency Department, along with establishing a nursing college.
Another aspect of the Yogi Government's medical infrastructure strategy is to dedicate completed projects for use by the public and medical students. Twenty-one projects worth Rs. 206.13 crore have been listed for inauguration. At Kanpur Medical College, the Medical Record Section and UG Boys' Hostel are ready for expansion to accommodate the increased UG seats. The inauguration list also includes expansion of the MD Psychiatry course in the Department of Mental Health, along with the De-addiction Ward Block. At Meerut Medical College, projects such as a 100-bed girls' hostel, 100-bed boys' hostel, 100-bed intern hostel, examination building expansion and lecture theatre are ready. The list also includes a multi-story, double-seated girls' hostel at Gorakhpur Medical College.
From a super-specialty healthcare perspective, the project at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences is particularly significant. The project for establishing a Kidney, Liver and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit on the 6th and 7th floors of the institute's main medical building is included in the inauguration list, with a cost of around Rs. 18.22 crore. The completed projects also include a waiting hall for 100 patients near the Radiological Block at the institute's 200-bed Ram Prakash Gupta Memorial Maternal and Child Hospital.
Under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath, along with expanding medical education in the state, the next focus is on enhancing the capacity and quality of institutions. The proposed foundation-laying and inauguration work takes this strategy forward. On the one hand, large hospital buildings, trauma centers, maternal and child health facilities and super-specialty services are being developed. On the other hand, basic infrastructure such as nursing colleges, hostels, lecture theatres, examination buildings, doctors' residences, water supply, sewerage and fire safety is being strengthened. Through these projects, the state is strengthening its healthcare infrastructure and further improving medical facilities for patients.
