Odisha Govt Sanctions 424 New Beds, 59 Faculty Posts for Cuttack Shishu Bhawan

Bhubaneswar: The state government has approved a major expansion of healthcare facilities at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP), popularly known as Shishu Bhawan, in Cuttack.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling on Saturday sanctioned 424 new beds for the premier childcare hospital, raising its total capacity to 846. The move aims to meet the rising demand from children referred from across Odisha and neighbouring states, the Health Department said in a statement.

“The hospital earlier had 422 beds in its old building. With the inauguration of a new seven-storey, centrally air-conditioned block in April this year by Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the overall bed strength has now doubled,” the department informed.

In addition, the government has created 59 new faculty and doctor posts for the institute. These include five professors, 10 associate professors, 18 assistant professors, 24 senior residents, and two medical officers — one each for the blood bank and the drug store.

“This is the largest expansion since the inception of Shishu Bhawan in 1960. The step will help develop SVPPGIP into an advanced and premier paediatric institute in eastern India,” Minister Mahaling said.