20 new hospitals, 12 nursing colleges, 2 IPD towers: Health dept’s 2026 plan

Jaipur: Health department has unveiled its 2026 plan to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and service delivery, including a target to make functional the IPD towers at Mahila Chikitsalaya (Sanganeri Gate) and Zenana Hospital in Jaipur.The plan includes operationalising 20 newly constructed hospitals linked with RajMES medical colleges to support undergraduate and postgraduate training, and setting up 12 nursing colleges with required staffing, equipment and learning resources. The department will also commission 22 Critical Care Blocks to expand ICU beds, diagnostics and emergency care. In Jaipur, it will establish a national-level Institute of Cardiology with advanced facilities and training programmes.
On maternal health, the department has set targets of more than 80% ANC registration within 12 weeks of pregnancy and more than 85% coverage of four ANC check-ups. It will strengthen haemoglobin testing for all pregnant women and push for 100% institutional deliveries, with a focus on high-risk pregnancies. "It is also targeting to bring into operation at least 30 additional First Referral Units in 2026 to back up timely referrals and emergency obstetric care," said a health department official.For child health and immunisation, the department is targeting 90% full immunisation coverage and plans to scale up newborn care services. It will intensify diarrhoea and pneumonia prevention campaigns and conduct annual Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram screening in schools and ayushman wellness centres (AWCs), along with newborn screening.To improve access to medicines, the dept will set up Jan Aushadhi Kendras in govt hospitals at all district headquarters. It will also conduct medicine availability audits and introduce supply monitoring.