AIG Hospitals has commenced construction of a major greenfield multispeciality healthcare campus in Visakhapatnam, with the foundation stone laid by Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, and Real Time Governance.
The event was also attended by Ayyannapatrudu Chintakayala, Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly; Bharat Muthukumilli, Member of Parliament, Visakhapatnam; and Ganta Srinivasa Rao, MLA, Bheemili.
Planned as a 1,000-bed integrated healthcare campus, the project will be developed in two phases. The first phase will include Towers A and B with 650 beds and is scheduled to become operational by October 2028. A further 350 beds will be added through Tower C over the next two to three years.
The campus will extend beyond hospital services, incorporating a Nursing College, paramedic training centre, research laboratory, AI centre and a 500-seat academic auditorium.
Speaking at the foundation ceremony, Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals, said, “Over three decades, what we learned at AIG is that clinical excellence can only thrive when it is complimented by continuous academic activities and backed by research. That is why the research laboratory and the academic block are not additions to this project; they are part of its structure from the beginning. Our intention in Visakhapatnam is to build the whole ecosystem and make it future-ready.”
The proposed hospital will offer more than 50 medical and surgical specialities. Its infrastructure will include modular operating rooms, advanced cath labs, endoscopy suites, 150 critical care beds and a 50-bed emergency department. The outpatient facility is being designed to handle around 5,000 consultations a day.
A dedicated 120-bed Mother and Child block will also be part of the campus, featuring birthing suites, paediatric services and a 15-bed neonatal intensive care unit.
Dr Reddy added, “A project of this size needs a state that truly understands the futuristic measures for its people and under Swarnandhra Vision 2047, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has put in the confidence in us to not just build a world-class hospital but the one which serves the people by being equitable, accessible and affordable.”
The development will also provide hostel facilities for nursing staff and students, accommodation for visiting faculty, and affordable stay options for patients’ families. Once fully operational, the campus is expected to employ around 9,000 people, including approximately 1,000 doctors.
PVS Raju, Vice-Chairman, AIG Hospitals, said, “A project of this scale creates employment at every level be it clinical, technical, administrative and support functions. We expect around 9,000 people to be employed here. But the more durable contributions are the Nursing College and the paramedic training centre. They will keep producing trained professionals to build a sustainable healthcare practice in the entire region. We have provided hostel accommodation on campus because that has been the practical barrier for so many students, particularly women, from various districts in AP.”
Technology and artificial intelligence are expected to play a central role in the new facility. Dr Rakesh Kalapala, Director, AIG Hospitals Visakhapatnam, said, “This will be a technology-enabled hospital from day one, with AI integrated into clinical workflows, imaging, diagnostics and hospital operations rather than added later as a layer. Most of the families we will serve here come from nearby towns and cities and for many of them a serious diagnosis has meant travelling out of the state for treatment. Our commitment is that they receive the same standard of care, delivered with the same compassion, close to home.”
With its combination of advanced clinical infrastructure, medical education, research and AI-enabled healthcare, the upcoming AIG Hospitals campus is expected to strengthen Visakhapatnam’s healthcare ecosystem and expand access to specialised treatment for patients across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring regions.
(Photo courtesy: instagram/naralokesh)