"Uttar Pradesh is not the easiest place to run a hospital, and operating a hospital here is more difficult than in most other parts of the country," Rahul said.
Addressing a function organised at Kamla Nehru Memorial hospital here, the Congress leader said, "I feel proud to see such a hospital functioning in Allahabad, I have been aware of the difficulties you must have faced in bringing the hospital to its current shape."
I am aware that running a hospital here you must have faced many difficulties which you might not have faced in many other states in the country, said Rahul.
Kamla Nehru hospital, named after Gandhi's great grandmother was set up in 1941 and is widely regarded as the country's premier maternity and children health care centre.
The hospital also specialises in the treatment of paediatric cancer, and on this occasion Rahul also inaugurated a special paediatric cancer ward named after his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
He said it was a "matter of pride to have a charitable hospital dedicated to fighting dreaded diseases like cancer free of cost."
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"Cancer is a very difficult disease to deal with but for the poor it is a death sentence," he said.
The Congress General Secretary was accompanied by Minister of Corporate Affairs Murli Deora. Rahul is on the board of trustee of the hospital, while Deora is the honorary sectary and treasurer.