Bhubaneswar, Odisha : In another significant step towards quality tertiary care for children, the State Government enhanced the bed strength of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP), Cuttack, popularly known as Shishu Bhawan, to 846. This move caters to the growing number of children referred from different districts and neighboring states.
Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, and Electronics & Information Technology, sanctioned 424 new beds, bringing the total to 846. Earlier, the hospital operated with 422 beds in its old building.
The new centrally air-conditioned seven-storied hospital building opened on 11 April 2025, inaugurated by Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Sri J P Nadda, Chief Minister Sri Mohan Charan Majhi, and Dr. Mahaling. Following this, the hospital now accommodates 846 beds.
Corresponding to the bed expansion, the State Government sanctioned 59 new faculty and doctor posts across multiple categories. The new positions include 5 Professors, 10 Associate Professors, 18 Assistant Professors, 24 Senior Residents, and 2 Medical Officers – one for the Blood Bank and another for the Drug Store.
Expressing his satisfaction with the new sanctions, Dr. Mahaling said, “This expansion is the largest since the inception of Shishu Bhawan in 1960. It will help develop SVPPGIP into an advanced and premier pediatric institute in eastern India.”
The public and intelligentsia praised the significant expansion of the historic Shishu Bhawan, highlighting that the upgraded facilities and additional staff will enhance care quality for children across Odisha.
Also Read : AIIMS Bhubaneswar Inaugurates Neuromodulation Centre
