Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 29 (ANI): President Draupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath AYUSH University in Gorakhpur on July 1, according to an official statement from the Uttar Pradesh government. The university has brought all Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy colleges in the state under a single regulatory framework.

According to the release, the foundation of the university was laid on August 28, 2021, by then-President Ram Nath Kovind following an invitation from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The university is situated on 52 acres in Pipri, Bhathat, approximately 25 kilometres from the Gorakhpur district headquarters.

The university is affiliated with 98 AYUSH colleges across the state. These include 76 Ayurveda, 10 Unani and 12 Homoeopathy colleges. Before the university's formation, these colleges were overseen by separate institutions. With the establishment of Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath AYUSH University, regulation has been brought under a single system.

The university has been in operation since the 2021-22 academic session and currently conducts examinations and manages academic activities for the following programs: BAMS, MD, MS in Ayurveda; BUMS, MD, MS in Unani; and BHMS, MD in Homoeopathy.

The Chief Minister initiated the concept of the state's first AYUSH university after the central government grouped Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy under the AYUSH category.

Along with Ayurveda, Unani, and Homoeopathy, the university will also include disciplines like Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha, and Sowa-Rigpa in the future. A plan is being prepared to initiate academic and treatment activities in these streams.

On the same day, President Murmu will also attend the first convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Gorakhpur. AIIMS Gorakhpur, whose foundation stone and inauguration were laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has rapidly emerged as a vital healthcare hub for people in eastern Uttar Pradesh, as well as those in neighbouring Bihar and Nepal.

As per the statement, the journey to establish AIIMS in Gorakhpur dates back to a prolonged public movement led by Yogi Adityanath, which began during his tenure as a Member of Parliament in 2004. After PM Modi came to power in 2014, this longstanding demand was met, and the foundation was laid on July 22, 2016, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. Following Yogi Adityanath's ascent to the chief ministership in 2017, construction hurdles were swiftly cleared. The outpatient department (OPD) began operations on February 24, 2019, and the hospital was formally inaugurated on December 7, 2021, by the Prime Minister.

Since its inception, AIIMS Gorakhpur has played a pivotal role in transforming the healthcare landscape of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Once marred by inadequate facilities and an overburdened BRD Medical College, the region has witnessed a dramatic revival in medical infrastructure under the leadership of CM Yogi. Today, the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions boast seven medical colleges -- five government-run (Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti, Siddharthnagar), one PPP model in Maharajganj, and one private college under Mahayogi Gorakhnath University.

The addition of AIIMS, with world-class and super-speciality care, marks a turning point. What was once known for healthcare deficiencies has now emerged as a medical hub, owing to the focused efforts of the Yogi government and the Centre's continued investment in public health. (ANI)