Nagpur: Following a report published by Nagpur Today on a demand to set up an independent hospital especially for children in Nagpur in view of Covid-19 rage, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is has proposed to set-up a 200-bed Covid facility exclusively for children at newly constructed administrative building of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU).
On Friday, June 4, Nagpur Today carried out a report wherein Dr Pravin Dabli, Member of Zero Mile Foundation, has demanded construction of a permanent 500-bed state-of-the-art hospital especially for children in Nagpur. This demand was put forth by Dr Dabli to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Nagpur Guardian Minister Dr Nitin Raut and Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari. Stressing his demand, Dr Dabli had said that experts have warned of a third wave of Covid-19 and children too are likely to be infected by the virus. To protect the children from the virus, an independent 500-bed hospital for them must be built for them in the city. Need for such a healthcare facility is being felt in the ever growing population of Nagpur, he stated.
Gold Rate
13 May 2025
Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari along with Dr Sanjay Dudhe, Pro-Vice Chancellor, RTMNU, inspected the Jamnalal New Administrative Building constructed adjoining the campus on Amravati Road. The impending third wave of Covid-19 is likely to impact the children most. To deal with the situation, the civic body is making all efforts to ramp-up health infrastructure in the city. After inspection, the NMC officials said about 200 beds can easily be set up in the RTMNU building. Right now, the varsity office is located on the ground floor. The first, second and third floors can thus be equipped with 150 oxygen beds and 50 in ICUs for treating children if a situation arises.
The RTMNU’s Jamnalal Bajaj New Administrative Building has large halls and rooms where arrangements can be made for parents. There will also be a TV set for the entertainment of children wherein cartoon films can be showcased. To ensure that children feel comfortable, cartoon caricatures would be put on the walls. Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, has taken lead for establishing the paediatric hospital in the city. NMC will provide water, oxygen and beds and also arrange services of specialist doctors.
The Mayor said in future, services of students of the National Service Scheme (NSS) would be required to manage the situation and they should be ready to extend help to the civic body. He said that the NMC planned to ready the hospital facility by the second week of July.
Milind Meshram, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), NMC, Anil Hirekhan, Registrar, Sanjay Dahikar and Mahesh Kukdeja were also present on the occasion.
In the Nagpur Today report, Dr Dabli further said that the present population of Nagpur has crossed 46 lakh mark. In 2011, it was 24 lakh. The population of children (0-6 years) in that year was 497087 including 257438 boys and 239649 girls. Now, this population has doubled in 2021. Similarly, the fresh figures of population in rural parts (0-18 years) stand at 573294. The combined population of children in city and rural parts stands at around 15 lakh. Considering the figure, boosting the healthcare facilities is the need of the hour. “Even though the city has Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Mayo, Daga and AIIMS, the number of wards for children in these hospitals is negligible. In Daga Hospital, only newborns are being taken care of. Compared to the population, this is nothing. The city has over 300 child specialist doctors but there is no permanent and independent hospital to take care of a large number of children. Nagpur being a hub of medical facilities, patients from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh too come to the city for treatment. All have to depend on costly private hospitals which are not affordable for poor people,” Dr Dabli stated.
Dr Dabli demanded that the independent 500-bed children’s hospital can be constructed on vacant Empress Mill land. “This 500-bed hospital could be the country’s biggest hospital for children and could be a ‘milestone’ in the healthcare facility.
