Gorakhpur, June 30 (UNI) Once considered an unattainable dream, the AIIMS in Gorakhpur now stands as a beacon of advanced healthcare for the entire region, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said .today.
He highlighted that what was unimaginable before 2014 has today become a lifeline for over 5 crore people directly and nearly 7 crore indirectly, spanning Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Northwestern Bihar, and parts of Nepal.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the first convocation ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Gorakhpur.
Welcoming President Droupadi Murmu, the Chief Guest at the event, CM Yogi recalled the long struggle for the establishment of AIIMS Gorakhpur. He said, “What once seemed like a distant dream has now blossomed into a banyan tree. I am the only person on this convocation stage who has witnessed this journey from seed to tree.”
Recalling the arduous journey behind the project,Adityanath said he personally witnessed the struggle and led the fight—from the streets to the Parliament—for the establishment of AIIMS in Gorakhpur.
He noted that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation in 2016, acquiring land remained a major hurdle. “After taking office in March 2017, the first decision I took was to transfer the required land for AIIMS Gorakhpur. Once that was done, construction gained momentum, and in 2021, the institute was inaugurated by PM Modi,” he said.
Emphasising his emotional connection to the institution, CM Yogi said, “When the first MBBS batch was admitted to AIIMS in 2019, I personally came to interact with the students.”
The Chief Minister said that before the establishment of AIIMS Gorakhpur, there was no major healthcare centre between Patna and Lucknow that could cater to the bordering regions of eastern Uttar Pradesh, northwestern Bihar, and Nepal. “Today, we are witnessing the realisation of that long-standing dream,” he said.
He noted that DM courses have commenced at AIIMS Gorakhpur, alongside undergraduate, super-specialty, and nursing education. The establishment of this institution has ushered in a new era of quality healthcare and education in the region.
CM Yogi urged the first graduating batch of doctors to conduct detailed case studies on encephalitis, a disease that had long terrorized eastern Uttar Pradesh. “One of the key objectives behind the setting up of AIIMS in Gorakhpur was to provide a reliable centre for the treatment of encephalitis. I believe the graduating doctors today must feel a deep sense of pride that the very disease which once caused widespread panic is now under control.”
He reminded the audience of the dire conditions from eight years ago, when encephalitis cases surged in July and August, leading to overcrowded wards at BRD Medical College, with up to four patients per bed and no fans. “You can imagine the plight of patients and their families back then.” UNI XC SSP