Major fillip for healthcare and research in Vidarbha

Nagpur: Medical experts believe Vidarbha, with its expanding network of medical colleges and hospitals, could benefit significantly from increased research activity and clinical trials under the Rs10,000 crore Biopharma Shakti initiative. Dr Mohammed Faisal, professor at IGGMCH said, "The thrust on biopharma research and clinical trials can help cities like Nagpur emerge as important research hubs, while also improving access to advanced therapies in Vidarbha."The budget also proposes a major expansion in medical and allied health education. Experts say this could address long-standing shortages of trained manpower in hospitals and community healthcare centres across Vidarbha, particularly in geriatric and chronic disease care.Given Nagpur's central location, connectivity and growing healthcare infrastructure, professionals say the city is well placed to benefit from creation of five Regional Medical Hubs through public-private partnerships which are expected to boost medical tourism and employment. Describing the budget as "balanced and future-ready", Dr Vinky Rughwani, president of the Maharashtra Medical Council, said, "It is encouraging to see strong attention to preventive medicine, early screening of non-communicable diseases, geriatrics and biopharma research."Dr Rughwani also welcomed the focus on upgrading existing infrastructure, including mental health institutions, improving the doctor–patient ratio, and structured training of caregivers. He further noted that the reduction in import duties on life-saving drugs, particularly cancer medicines, along with measures to boost domestic manufacturing, would ease the financial burden on patients while strengthening India's self-reliance in healthcare. Dr Sushant Meshram, professor and head of pulmonology at Superspecialty GMCH Nagpur, said the Rs1.05 lakh crore allocation signals a clear shift towards a research-driven and globally competitive healthcare ecosystem. "Support for indigenous drug research, medical education and integrated healthcare hubs will not only improve quality of care but also open new avenues for medical tourism and employment in regions like Vidarbha," he said.