A state-of-the-art endoscopy machine worth ₹93 lakh will soon be installed at SAT Hospital as part of the infrastructure enhancement
Published Jul 02, 2025 | 6:45 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 02, 2025 | 6:45 PM
Infant in a hospital. Representational Image. (iStock)
Kerala is set to get its first dedicated Pediatric Gastroenterology Department in the government sector, at SAT Hospital at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College campus, as State Cabinet approving the creation of a professor post to launch a postgraduate course in the specialty.
Health Minister Veena George announced the development on Wednesday. The department is being established by upgrading the existing Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit, which was started in 2021.
It will be the sixth such department in the country and the fifth to offer a PG course in Pediatric Gastroenterology. A state-of-the-art endoscopy machine worth ₹93 lakh will soon be installed at SAT Hospital as part of the infrastructure enhancement, said the minister.
She also added thatthe new department would offer modern and quality treatment for stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas-related diseases in children, ranging from newborns to adolescents.
It’s said since its inception, over 27,000 children have received treatment at the unit.
The department provides specialized care for conditions including abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, constipation, feeding difficulties, liver diseases, acid reflux, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
With the start of the PG course, the government aims to produce more expert doctors in this highly specialized field to address the rising incidence of digestive disorders among children.
