Chandigarh: After years of delay and mounting pressure on existing facilities, PGI is set to operationalise its Rs 485 crore Advanced Mother and Child Centre (AMCC) this week, providing a major boost to maternal and neonatal care in the region.PGI deputy director (administration) Pankaj Rai said all mandatory clearances, including fire safety approvals from the UT administration, have been secured. “Final requirements are being incorporated, and we expect the centre to be functional within the week,” he said.The five-storey facility, with a capacity of 430 beds, marks the first major expansion of PGI’s maternal and neonatal infrastructure in two decades. During this period, the number of deliveries at the institute has nearly doubled, leading to persistent overcrowding.Officials said the new centre is expected to significantly ease pressure on labour rooms and gynaecology emergency services, where bed capacity had remained largely unchanged.The AMCC will house specialised units, including critical care obstetrics, fetal medicine, robotic surgery and infertility services. Its neonatal ICU has been built to international standards, along with a human milk bank and a dedicated Kangaroo Mother Care ward.The opening also comes amid concerns over advanced medical equipment worth around Rs 150 crore, donated by Infosys in 2024, which had remained unused in the facility. With the centre becoming operational, the institute aims to put the equipment to use and expand critical neonatal care.Officials said the facility is expected to address the shortage of neonatal ICU beds and improve care for high-risk pregnancies across the region.
