Five new medical college in Bihar

Patna, Nov 19: The Bihar government has decided to open five new medical college hospitals and 37 referral hospitals to provide better health care facilities and improve medical education across the state.

Unfolding the government plan to improve the health as well as medical scenario, the state Health Commissioner Deepak Kumar told the sources that three new government hospitals would be opened in Nalanda, Bettiah and Madhepura, while another medical college would be set up in the existing Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna. A dental college hospital would be established at Pawapuri in Nalanda, he informed.

The state government has also given the go-ahead for establishing eight other medical college hospitals in private sectors, which would change the face of medical education besides providing 'specialised' and 'quality treatment' to people, he said.

'' No-objection certificates had already been issued to willing private parties for opening of seven new medical colleges while Narain Medical College Hospital in Rohtas had already been set up in private sector'', the Commissioner further informed.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has personally taken up the matter of seeking clearance from Medical Council of India (MCI) for opening of the new medical colleges in the state.

Mr Kumar has requested MCI president P C Keshvan Kutti to permit the state government for opening of at least five medical colleges and even consider for some relaxations in the rule in this regard for speedy clearance of the matter.

''We have urged the MCI to give green signal for increasing the sanctioned seats in medical colleges and also for introducing the PG courses in existing government-run medical colleges'', Mr Kumar said.

He, however, made it clear that the state government would not provide land to private parties and they would have to arrange it at their own.

The seven new medical colleges and hospitals and two dental colleges in private sectors are likely to come up in Rohtas, Ara, Madhubani, Saharsa, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Chhapra and Rajgir, Mr Kumar informed. Arrangements have been made to start new medical colleges at district Sadar hospitals and the teaching would begin from next session after getting the green signal from MCI'', the Commssioner said adding the state government would construct separate buildings for new medical colleges within two to three years. The process for acquisition of the land for the purpose was on, he further added.

'' To provide round the clock medical facilities, the state government has initiated steps to construct 11 district hospitals with 100 beds each, 18 district hospitals with 300 beds each and 8 district hospitals with 500 beds each'', he further informed.

These constructions are as per the parameters laid down under IPHS.

The new health sub-centres and additional primamry health centres are also under construction in rural areas,he said adding 1553 health sub centres and 331 additional primary health centres have been established so far and 7765 new additional primary health centres are in pipeline.

Stressing on the need for providing better treatment facilities, Mr Kumar said new strategies were being implemented to ensure that the benefits of all the National Health Programmes reaches the remote areas and deprived sections.

'' Some of these new strategies are public private partnership, model to establish X Ray, Radiology and Pathology Centres in all government hospitals. Establishment of generic medicine shop in hospitals, dial an ambulance call 102, call 1911 medical helpline, call a doctor are among other facilities offered by the government in co-ordination with the private partners'', the Health Commissioner underlined.

Three years ago, the figure of institutional deliveries were 4000 to 5000. ''Institutional deliveries per month per hospital has now increased to 70,000-80,000'', he said emphasising that it was an indication of increasing faith of public in government hospitals. '' Unprecedented results have also been achieved in the field of family welfare. In 2006-07, the number of family welfare operation was 161,000 only. In 2007-08, this has increased to 3,01,000'', the Health commissioner said.

The compensation for vasectomy has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1100. The compensation for tubectomy has been increased from Rs 450 to Rs 6000.

To accelerate the programme free vasectomy and tubectomy facilities are being provided in private nursing homes. The achievement of routine immunization was only 38 per cent in 2006-07 and it has improved to 51 per cent now.

In certain districts this achievement is more than 70 per cent.

The implementation of national programmes on TB, Malaria, Kalazar, Filaria and blindness control has also improved because of 74313 ASHA workers who are in place in far flung areas of the state. The state has also appointed 1757 contractual medical officers. The process of recruitment of 1544 AYUSH medical officers was on, he added.

In 2007, a total of 4887 ANMs were also appointed to fill the vacancies. Similalrly, 2374 Nurses (grade A) have also been appointed and selection of 1436 Nurses (GR A) is under process.

Other milestones of the state health services are - establishment of Rogy Kalyan Samitis in all the hospitals, appointment of block manager, establishment of district level health socities and appointment of management experts.

Recently, the state government has launched two new schemes-Mamta and Samadhan."Mamta" is a scheme dedicated to the welfare of pregnant mothers and new born infants. "Samadhan" is telephone based helpline where the people can register their complaints and suggestions regarding the functioning of the government hospitals.

The state government is committed to ensure that lesser number of people go out of the state for health care in the future.

UNI