Mumbai, March 27 Maharashtra has the potential to become a global hub for integrated healthcare and recovery, and the government remains fully committed to strengthening the sector, advancing medical education, and supporting innovation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday.
The sector is set to play a key role in the 'Viksit Maharashtra 2047' vision as a driver of social welfare, innovation, investment, and growth, the CM said while addressing the Pulse 2026 summit organized by the state's Medical Education and Drugs Department.
"Maharashtra has the potential to become a global destination for integrated healthcare and recovery. As the state moves towards its Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision, healthcare will serve as a key pillar – not only as a social responsibility, but also as a catalyst for innovation, investment, and economic growth," he said.
The government remains fully committed to strengthening healthcare, advancing medical education, and supporting innovation, Fadnavis added.
"Strong healthcare systems require strong public health institutions that can guide policy, prevention, and preparedness. In this context, we are proposing to establish an Indian Institute of Public Health in Nagpur with a strong focus on public health leadership, research, epidemiology, and health systems strengthening," the CM said.
This institution will play a critical role in building long-term capacity for evidence-based policymaking and resilient public health systems, he added.
Maharashtra is also investing in infrastructure that will domestically produce active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to meet the country's demand, Fadnavis asserted.
"From district hospitals to tertiary care centers, we are strengthening capacity and, most importantly, quality across Maharashtra. Equally important is our investment in people. While expanding medical education capacity, our focus remains firmly on quality postgraduate training and research," he said.
Maharashtra currently supports over 17,000 medical seats across undergraduate, postgraduate, and super-speciality courses, making it one of the largest medical education ecosystems in the country, the CM informed.
"To strengthen postgraduate training, the state has this year issued 1,600 essentiality certificates, which will lead to the creation of more than 1,000 additional PG seats. This aligns closely with the Union government's goal of adding 75,000 medical seats over the next five years, where Maharashtra will play a pivotal role," Fadnavis said.
Maharashtra Minister for Medical Education Hasan Mushrif said the state is building a future-ready healthcare ecosystem by expanding medical education, strengthening infrastructure, and integrating technology, ensuring accessible, affordable, and quality care for every citizen.
"Several new medical colleges have been established in the state's rural and tribal districts. Looking ahead, we have a clear roadmap under which we are planning to increase the number of medical seats to 7,200 by 2030 from the current 4,850 and increase the number of PG seats to 4,700 from the current 2,119," Mushrif said.
The two-day Pulse 2026 aims to provide a platform to strengthen clinical research, collaboration between industry and academia, and attract global partnerships.