Nagpur: The state govt on Friday announced the establishment of a Maharashtra Public Health Institution in Nagpur, a move expected to significantly strengthen public health training, research, and policy planning in the region. The institute will be developed on the lines of premier national institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM). The Public Health Foundation of India will collaborate with the state govt in setting up the institute. The announcement was made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis while presenting key highlights of the Maharashtra Budget 2026 on Friday.The proposed institute is expected to add a new dimension to Nagpur’s rapidly expanding healthcare ecosystem by focusing on epidemiology, disease surveillance, public health research, and training of health professionals. Experts believe it will also play a key role in strengthening health policy support for Maharashtra and central India.Nagpur’s public healthcare landscape witnessed major expansion in recent years, with several large-scale projects already operational or under development. The establishment of AIIMS Nagpur considerably strengthened tertiary healthcare services, bringing advanced treatment and research facilities to the region. At the same time, the ongoing revamp and expansion of Nagpur’s Govt Medical College and Hospital improved treatment capacity at one of the largest public hospitals serving Vidarbha.Further expansion is expected with the planned mega Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in North Nagpur, which aims to improve healthcare access for densely populated areas that long faced a shortage of advanced public health facilities. In addition, the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) is constructing a 300-bed hospital in East Nagpur to cater to the rapidly-growing population in that part of the city.Together with the proposed public health institute, these projects are expected to significantly strengthen Nagpur’s healthcare infrastructure and position the city as a major centre for medical education, research, and public health planning in central India.The state Budget also highlighted expansion of healthcare coverage under govt insurance schemes. Treatments covered under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana increased from 1,356 to 2,399 procedures, while the number of empanelled hospitals rose from 1,792 to 4,537. The govt also approved financial assistance of up to ₹22 lakh for nine types of organ transplants, further strengthening access to advanced treatment for patients across the state.
