Lucknow: Yogi Cabinet on Tuesday made a significant decision on Tuesday by giving its approval for the proposal for the establishment of the state's first Advanced Pediatric Center. The centre, to be the first of its kind in the state, will be established at PGI. The centre will have various pediatric experts to treat all diseases related to children. This facility is not currently available in any institute or medical college of the state. The project is estimated to cost Rs 199 crore 10 lakh 52 thousand. Director of SGPGI Prof. Dr RK Dhiman said that currently, 40 percent of the population in the state comprises children and adolescents aged 0-18 years. Recognizing the long-standing need for better healthcare for them, the establishment of an Advanced Pediatric Center was proposed to the Yogi government, which has now been approved in the cabinet, he added. Accordingly, an Advanced Pediatric Center consisting of more than 20 departments and 6 units and equipped with 575 beds will be set up at PGI. The centre will be established in two phases. In the first phase, 310 beds will be set up, along with 12 departments and 4 units. The beds will include 163 normal beds, 54 ICU beds, 28 HDU beds, 20 isolation beds, and 45 private beds. In the second phase, an additional 265 beds will be included, along with 9 more departments and 2 units. This phase will comprise installation of 158 normal beds, 13 ICU beds, 10 HDU beds, 21 isolation beds, and 63 private beds, he further added. The director informed that in the first phase, 12 departments and 4 units will function. These include departments like General Pediatrics, Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Emergency, Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Pediatric Endocrinology, etc. Meanwhile, the units will encompass Pediatric Pulmonology, Pediatric Cardiology, Day Care, and Pediatric Medical Genetics. RK Dhiman further added that in the first phase, the majority of the 60 beds will be dedicated to General Pediatrics. Similarly, in the second phase, an additional 9 departments and 2 units will operate, covering Pediatric Nephrology, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Pediatric Urology, Pediatric Orthopedic and Physical Medicine, etc., in the departments. The unit will include the Social Pediatrics and Developmental Pediatric Units.
