The hospital will serve as a lifeline for five southern talukas of Gadchiroli where patients earlier had to travel long distances to Chandrapur or Nagpur for advanced maternity care
NAGPUR: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate Saturday a 100-bed women’s and child hospital at Aheri in southern Gadchiroli, marking a major milestone in public health infrastructure for the tribal-dominated pocket that was once a Maoist stronghold. The inauguration of Women’s Hospital and Newborn Baby Centre, built at a cost of Rs 83 crore, is aimed at strengthening maternal and child healthcare in one of the most remote regions of Maharashtra. The opening comes amid intensified crackdown that led to the surrender of several rebels, including that of Maoist top gun Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi along with several cadres in Gadchiroli. Collector Avishyant Panda said the hospital project represents a coordinated effort between the state govt and district administration. “Civil construction was funded by the state govt, while the district administration financed the equipment and furniture,” Panda said. The hospital will serve as a lifeline for five southern talukas of Gadchiroli – Aheri, Etapalli, Bhamragad, Sironcha, and Dhanora – where patients earlier had to travel long distances to Chandrapur or Nagpur for advanced maternity care. “With specialised services like C-sections and neonatal critical care now available locally, we expect a significant reduction in maternal and infant mortality rates,” Panda said. Spread across 13,460 sqm, the hospital is expected to handle hundreds of deliveries each month and offer 24-hour emergency obstetric and paediatric services. It will also function as a training and referral centre for local healthcare workers, enabling faster diagnosis and intervention in complicated cases.
