PM Modi to inaugurate major healthcare projects at PGIMER on July 17

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1. Chandigarh, July 13

   Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate two major healthcare facilities and lay the foundation stone for a new critical care block at Chandigarh’s Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research on July 17, in a move aimed at strengthening specialised medical services in northern India.
   The projects, together valued at nearly Rs 1,200 crore, include the Advanced Mother and Child Centre, the Advanced Neurosciences Centre and a new 150-bed Critical Care Hospital Block.
   PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal described the occasion as a significant moment in the institute’s history, saying the new facilities would help expand access to advanced and affordable healthcare for millions of patients.
   The Advanced Mother and Child Centre, built at a cost of Rs 505 crore, is a 300-bed facility equipped with neonatal intensive care units, modular operation theatres and integrated maternal and newborn care services. The centre is expected to strengthen PGIMER’s ability to handle more than 6,000 high-risk deliveries every year.
   Prof Lal also acknowledged the contribution of the Infosys Foundation, which provided Rs 147 crore for the procurement of advanced medical equipment.
   The newly built Advanced Neurosciences Centre, another 300-bed facility, brings together neurology, neurosurgery, neuroradiology, neuroanaesthesia, neurocritical care and rehabilitation services under one roof. It includes 61 intensive care beds and advanced diagnostic facilities aimed at improving treatment outcomes for patients with complex neurological disorders.
   According to PGIMER, the centre is expected to reduce delays in treatment and further establish the institute as a leading national hub for neuroscience research, education and clinical care.
   Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone for a 150-bed Critical Care Hospital Block, being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 244 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. The facility was conceived in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and is intended to improve emergency preparedness and multidisciplinary critical care services.
   PGIMER, one of India’s busiest tertiary healthcare institutions, has witnessed a steady rise in patient numbers over the years. Prof Lal said the growing footfall reflected the trust people have in the institute and underscored the need to continuously expand infrastructure and services.
   He added that government initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat had made several advanced treatments and complex surgical procedures financially accessible to patients who previously struggled to afford them.
   Highlighting the institute’s focus on affordable healthcare, Prof Lal said several expensive medicines are being made available through AMRIT pharmacies at significantly reduced prices, helping patients access life-saving treatment at a fraction of international costs.
   The new facilities are expected to further strengthen Chandigarh’s position as a major healthcare hub serving patients from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and other parts.