Gujarat is set to expand its public health infrastructure significantly, with 255 new healthcare facilities inaugurated and 45 additional projects launched at a combined investment of ₹532 crore. At the centrepiece of the push is a proposed 521-bed Institute of Neuroscience and Research Centre in Ahmedabad, estimated to cost ₹223 crore and designed to serve patients from Gujarat and neighbouring states.

Inauguration and Foundation Stones

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday, 24 October 2026, virtually inaugurated the 255 newly constructed facilities, which were developed at a cost of ₹185 crore. He also laid the foundation stone for the neuroscience institute on the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital campus, along with several other healthcare projects across the state. The 45 projects for which foundation stones were laid will require a further investment of ₹347 crore.

What the Neuroscience Institute Will Offer

The proposed institute will have a built-up area of 58,831 square metres and 521 beds, comprising 288 general ward beds, 160 ICU beds, 57 special and semi-special beds, and 16 triage beds. It will house 13 operation theatres built to international standards, along with departments for neurology and neurosurgery, emergency radiology, advanced laboratories, a blood bank, and a Central Sterile Services Department. The facility will also feature a pneumatic tube system and an in-house neuro-rehabilitation centre, intended to treat strokes, brain and spinal cord disorders, and neurological injuries sustained in accidents.

What the Government Said

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Patel said Gujarat's healthcare sector had undergone significant transformation over the past two-and-a-half decades. 'The government is pursuing a three-pronged approach focused on disease prevention, health promotion and affordable treatment,' he said. He highlighted that eligible beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme are entitled to free treatment of up to ₹10 lakh, and that more than 2.87 crore Ayushman cards had been issued in Gujarat.

Patel also noted that the number of medical colleges in Gujarat had grown from 8 in 2001-02 to 43 in 2025-26, while MBBS seats had risen from 1,375 to 7,525 over the same period. He added that AIIMS is now operational in Rajkot and that a Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is being developed in Jamnagar.

Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya said the projects would help extend medical services to remote areas. He also revealed that a dedicated spine hospital is planned within the Ahmedabad complex in the coming years. Pansheriya noted that Gujarat's hospitals ranked first nationally in organ donation, and that more than 1,400 ambulances under the 108 Emergency Service provide round-the-clock emergency care.

Broader Expansion Plans

The state's healthcare ambitions extend well beyond Ahmedabad. Medicities modelled on the Ahmedabad healthcare complex are planned at Vasai and Kamrej at an estimated combined cost of around ₹3,000 crore. Cardiology and neurology services are also being expanded in Gandhinagar and Surat. Addressing doctors and healthcare workers at the event, Chief Minister Patel said their role extended beyond clinical duties to building patients' confidence and providing emotional support to families.

Impact on Citizens

The new neuroscience centre is expected to significantly reduce the need for patients in Gujarat and neighbouring states to travel to metros such as Mumbai or Delhi for specialised neurological care. Minister Pansheriya specifically highlighted the potential benefit to patients from economically weaker and middle-income families, who have historically faced financial hardship when seeking tertiary-level specialised treatment. This comes amid a broader national push to decentralise super-speciality healthcare beyond the country's major urban centres.