Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday emphasized the need to make the state’s healthcare system future-ready to keep pace with global advancements and effectively tackle emerging health challenges. He was speaking at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow during the foundation stone laying and inauguration of multiple health infrastructure projects totaling ₹1,000 crore.
Highlighting the achievements and growing credibility of institutions like KGMU and the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), the chief minister said these centres are trusted not only by people from Uttar Pradesh but also from neighboring states and even Nepal. He attributed this trust to the high standards of care and professionalism exhibited by the medical staff, adding that positive thinking among patients often boosts recovery outcomes.
Yogi Adityanath stressed the importance of innovation and timely adaptation in healthcare. “Success, whether for an individual or an institution, depends on how well one adapts to change. Those who prepare in advance progress; those who don’t are left behind,” he said. The CM underlined that Uttar Pradesh must prepare now to meet future health challenges head-on.
A key announcement during the event was the state’s plan to link premier medical institutions like KGMU and SGPGI with the Centre of Excellence in Medical Technology at IIT Kanpur. This partnership aims to foster innovation and equip the state to respond more effectively to complex healthcare demands.
The chief minister also spoke about the rapid growth of medical education infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh. He noted that the state had very few government medical colleges at the time of Independence. However, in the past year alone, admissions were conducted in 17 new colleges — including 13 under government control, three in the public-private partnership (PPP) model, and one private. The government is now working toward having at least one medical college in each of the state’s 75 districts.
To enhance healthcare delivery at the grassroots level, Adityanath stated that these district-level colleges will conduct primary screenings so that only cases requiring advanced care are referred to tertiary centres such as KGMU.
Reflecting on the broader national progress, he praised the central government's role in transforming India from the world’s 11th largest economy to the fourth. He noted that while there was only one AIIMS earlier, multiple AIIMS institutes have now been established, promoting both healthcare and research. He lauded KGMU for following a similar path of excellence and innovation.
During the event, the CM inaugurated a ₹105-crore advanced cardiology wing at KGMU, equipped with 92 ICCU beds. This new facility is expected to ease the patient load at SGPGI, Lohia Institute, and Lari Cardiology, which together previously had only 84 beds.
He also opened Uttar Pradesh’s first orthopaedic super-speciality centre at KGMU. Built at a cost of ₹86 crore, the 340-bed facility includes dedicated units for orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine, paediatric orthopaedics, and high-dependency care. It features eight main operation theatres, two minor OTs, and eight OPD rooms.
Among the new projects was the foundation stone laying for a ₹378-crore, seven-storey general surgery building that will offer robotic surgery capabilities. The facility will include 12 modular operation theatres, a 12-bed ICU, robotic systems, solar energy features, and a medical gas pipeline.
Additionally, a ₹48-crore five-storey administrative building was announced, which will house diagnostic labs, accommodation for patients and attendants, a 450-bed block, and parking space for 100 vehicles.
The CM urged doctors and healthcare institutions to treat medical expansion not merely as infrastructure growth but as a mission to serve the people, leveraging both state and central government support for a healthier future.