Air ambulance facility planned at AIIMS Bhopal:₹1,000-crore expansion to include 300-bed cancer hospital, helipad and 5 major healthcare projects

Preparations are underway to launch air ambulance services from AIIMS Bhopal, with a proposal to construct a helipad at the institute placed before the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) of the centre government on Monday.
Alongside this, a series of major expansion projects—including a cancer hospital, an apex trauma centre, robotic surgery systems, and virtual autopsy facilities—have been proposed under a Rs 1,000-crore development plan. The detailed presentation was made by Bhopal MP Alok Sharma, who said the expansion plan has been submitted to Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and is expected to receive budgetary approval soon. Key proposals placed before SFC The proposals presented to the SFC include: Senior officials from the Union Health Ministry, representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Bhopal MP, AIIMS Bhopal Director Dr. Madhavanand Kar, Deputy Director Sandesh Jain, and other officials were present at the meeting. 200-bed cancer hospital for 36,000 patients annually AIIMS Bhopal plans to build a 200-bed oncology centre equipped with oxygen support beds and a 20-bed ICU with ventilators. The centre will feature dedicated onco-pathology and cytology laboratories, advanced diagnostic equipment, and modern medical facilities. The estimated cost includes Rs 437 crore for construction and Rs 300 crore for medical equipment. Facilities will cover chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, mental health counselling, and stem cell treatment. According to AIIMS data, over 36,000 cancer patients visit the institute annually, with nearly 60% coming from outside Bhopal. Districts reporting the highest number of cases include Agar Malwa, Raisen, Vidisha, Narmadapuram, Sagar, and Rewa. Second-largest trauma centre after AIIMS Delhi AIIMS Bhopal is also set to establish a Level-1 Apex Trauma Centre, which will be the largest in Madhya Pradesh and the second-largest in India after AIIMS Delhi. Approval for the project has already been granted. The trauma centre will be built in two phases, with ₹295 crore earmarked for the first phase. The proposal has been sent to the Central Finance Department. The need for the centre stems from a sharp rise in trauma cases. AIIMS data shows that patient numbers rose from 36,696 in 2022 to 54,500 in 2023 (a 48.5% increase), and further to 85,435 in 2024, marking a 56.7% rise over the previous year. Robotic surgery in urology department The Urology Department at AIIMS Bhopal will be equipped with the Da Vinci Robot 4.0, one of the world’s most advanced robotic surgical systems. With this installation, AIIMS Bhopal will become Central India’s first government medical institution to offer surgeries using such cutting-edge robotic technology. The system, costing approximately Rs 30 crore, will be used for complex procedures including prostate cancer, kidney tumors, and bladder cancer surgeries. Expansion Aimed at Strengthening Healthcare Access MP Alok Sharma said the proposed ₹1,000-crore expansion is designed to significantly strengthen healthcare infrastructure in central India. “Once approved, these projects will reduce patient load on other institutions and ensure advanced treatment facilities are available closer to home,” he said. AIIMS Bhopal officials expressed confidence that the proposed developments would transform the institute into a major regional hub for advanced medical care.