CM Yogi lays the foundation stone of the 500-bed capacity Vishram Sadan in AIIMS Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday laid the foundation stone for a 500-bed Vishram Sadan at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Gorakhpur, marking a significant step toward enhancing support infrastructure for patient attendants. The facility, to be built at a cost of ₹44.34 crore through the CSR fund of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, will be the largest Vishram Sadan in eastern Uttar Pradesh and is targeted for completion by March 2027.

Speaking at the Bhoomi Pujan and foundation stone laying ceremony, the Chief Minister emphasized that compassion is the greatest virtue and defining identity of a doctor. “If a doctor lacks compassion, one must question whether they truly deserve to be called a doctor,” he remarked. “It is this empathy that can, in many cases, alleviate half the suffering of even the most critically ill patients.”

The Chief Minister also urged medical professionals to refrain from unnecessarily referring patients to higher centers and develop the courage to take responsibility and deliver critical care themselves.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister noted that a medical institution is not only a place for treatment but also a centre of compassion, as reflected in the behaviour of its doctors. “When patients come for admission, they are accompanied by multiple attendants—sometimes even 10 in cases from eastern Uttar Pradesh. Hence, ensuring proper accommodation for these attendants is essential,” he said.

CM Yogi described the foundation of the Vishram Sadan as a significant milestone for AIIMS Gorakhpur. He recounted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in July 2016. The first admission was in 2019, and the institution was formally inaugurated by PM Modi in 2021.

“What began as a seed in 2016 has now flourished into a banyan tree, giving new life to thousands of patients,” the Chief Minister said. Reflecting on the long-standing demand for AIIMS in Gorakhpur, he mentioned that this aspiration had been voiced since 2003 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. Though Vajpayee had announced the establishment of six AIIMS nationwide, the process stalled until Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014.

“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Sabka Saath’s vision and Sabka Vikas’s vision have taken tangible shape in the healthcare sector. In the last decade, 22 new AIIMS have been developed or are under development across the country, and AIIMS Gorakhpur is one of them,” he added. “The dream that took root in 2003 was realized in 2016, thanks to the unwavering commitment of the Prime Minister.”

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated that the current occupancy of AIIMS Gorakhpur stands at 75–80%, and patients admitted to ICU, Critical Care, and the Trauma Center are often accompanied by attendants who cannot stay inside the hospital premises. “These attendants are left with no choice but to take shelter on railway tracks, roadside pavements, or other unsafe areas. At least 1,200 such individuals are estimated to be on campus at any given time,” he said. “Forcing someone to endure extreme heat, cold, or rain in the open is inhuman. We must uphold our humane values and provide adequate arrangements for those who stand by their loved ones in suffering.”
He emphasized the importance of establishing a Vishram Sadan that offers safe and dignified accommodation for attendants at a nominal user charge and access to an affordable canteen.

Recalling an earlier initiative, the Chief Minister mentioned that he had directed the creation of dedicated shelters for patient attendants during his visit to SGPGI in Lucknow nearly 18 months ago. The concept was extended to institutions like SGPGI, KGMU, BHU, and AIIMS Gorakhpur. Avnish Awasthi was entrusted with the task. Following his efforts, the Ministry of Petroleum approved night shelters at SGPGI, KGMU, and RML, while the Power Ministry extended support for a similar facility at AIIMS Gorakhpur.

During his address, CM Yogi also referred to a subsidized food initiative introduced at BRD Medical College around 20 years ago, during the height of the encephalitis crisis. “At that time, BRD was overwhelmed with encephalitis patients across eastern Uttar Pradesh. The attendants had no food or shelter. In collaboration with a voluntary organization, we started a meal service—dal, rice, roti, and vegetables—for just ₹8. Today, both BRD Medical College and Guru Gorakhnath Hospital continue to provide a full meal to attendants for only ₹10,” he said.

He also urged AIIMS Gorakhpur to lead the expansion of teleconsultation services to nearby medical colleges and district hospitals. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions like SGPGI, KGMU, and RML created a successful model of training and outreach. As a result, every district was equipped with ICUs and ventilators. We must now use technology to extend the reach of specialist care to remote areas,” he said.

“If all super-speciality departments at AIIMS Gorakhpur become fully operational, the OPD numbers can rise from 4,000 to 10,000. The institution must aim to become the medical hub of eastern Uttar Pradesh.”

The Chief Minister further advised doctors at government medical institutions to avoid referring patients to Lucknow without taking the initiative. “In many districts, despite the presence of medical colleges, there is a reluctance to provide trauma or critical care. This trend of referrals must end. Doctors need to embrace responsibility and be prepared to take calculated risks,” he said.

CM Yogi highlighted the importance of practical learning: “Every patient is a source of new knowledge for a doctor. Therefore, doctors must dedicate sufficient time to their patients and avoid restricting themselves to a limited number. It’s important to remember that some of the world’s greatest medical research has been possible because of those who collected and studied the maximum amount of data.”

On this occasion, MP Ravi Kishan Shukla, Chairman of Governing Council of AIIMS Gorakhpur Deshdeepak Verma, Executive Director of AIIMS Gorakhpur Dr. Vibha Dutta, Director (Personnel) of Power Grid Yatindra Dwivedi, Mayor Dr. Manglesh Shrivastava, along with many public representatives, Chief Minister’s Advisor Avnish Awasthi, Executive Director (CSR) of Power Grid Jasvir Singh, Executive Director of Northern Region-3 Y.K. Dixit, Human Resources Head of Northern Region-3 Raman, along with senior officials of Power Grid and AIIMS, Gorakhpur, etc. were prominently present.

The Chairman of the Governing Council of AIIMS Gorakhpur, Deshdeepak Verma, and the Director (Personnel) of Power Grid, Yatindra Dwivedi, felicitated the Chief Minister by presenting him with a shawl and a souvenir. After laying the foundation stone and before his address, CM Yogi inspected the map and layout of Vishram Sadan, inquired about the project, and provided necessary instructions.