The Karnataka government has inaugurated a new 450-bed children’s hospital at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bengaluru. The eight-storey facility, built at a cost of approximately ₹135 crore, significantly expands advanced paediatric services, including a 50-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), to serve patients from across the state and beyond.
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On March 28, 2026, Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash R Patil inaugurated the new super-speciality children’s hospital, described as the first government run facility of this scale in the country. The expansion aims to reduce pressure on existing infrastructure, which currently handles around 1.78 lakh outpatient visits, 21,000 inpatient admissions, and 5,000 surgeries annually, while improving outcomes in areas such as neonatal care, oncology, and organ transplantation support.
Karnataka has taken a major step forward in paediatric healthcare by inaugurating a state of the art 450 bed children’s hospital at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health in Bengaluru. The new eight-storey building, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹135 crore, is expected to greatly enhance access to advanced treatment for children, including specialised neonatal intensive care with around 50 dedicated NICU beds. This addition addresses critical gaps in high-dependency services for newborns and young patients.
The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health has long served as a key referral centre for paediatric care across southern India. Every year, it manages a substantial patient volume, including nearly 1.78 lakh outpatient consultations, over 21,000 inpatient admissions, and approximately 5,000 surgical procedures. The new facility is designed to ease the burden on current infrastructure and deliver improved clinical results, particularly in complex areas such as paediatric oncology and support for organ transplantation.
At the inauguration ceremony, Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanprakash R Patil highlighted the significance of the project, calling it the country’s first government-run super-speciality children’s hospital of this magnitude. He emphasised that patients from other states would receive the same high standard of care and encouraged families to make full use of the government facility. The minister also noted that 100% quality healthcare is best available in public institutions and linked the development to the state’s broader push for universal health coverage.
This initiative forms part of the Karnataka government’s ongoing efforts under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to expand healthcare infrastructure, including the establishment of medical colleges in nearly all districts. Plans are also underway to replicate successful models like the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences in other cities such as Mysuru and Kalaburagi, along with a proposed ₹100 crore children’s hospital in Kalaburagi modelled on the Bengaluru facility.
“Patients coming from other states will also get the same standard of treatment here. 100% quality healthcare is available only in government hospitals.”
By
HB Team
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