In a landmark move to bolster pediatric healthcare, the Odisha Government has expanded the bed strength at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP), popularly known as Shishu Bhawan, in Cuttack from 422 to 846 beds.
The expansion comes in response to the growing influx of child patients from across Odisha and neighbouring states. The new seven-storied, centrally air-conditioned hospital building—recently inaugurated by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda—marks a significant upgrade in infrastructure.
Health Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling also announced the sanctioning of 59 new medical and faculty posts, including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, senior residents, and medical officers for specialised units like the blood bank and drug store.
Calling it the largest expansion since the institute’s founding in 1960, Dr. Mahaling emphasised that SVPPGIP is now poised to become a premier pediatric institute in eastern India.
