Bihar to have its own mental hospital

Patna, Apr 16: Bihar is likely to have its own mental hospital at Koelwar in Bhojpur district next month, thus pre-empting the need for going to Kanke in Jharkhand for treatment of mental illness.

Bihar lost the Kanke hospital to Jharkhand following the state's division.

Official sources said here today that preparations had been made for opening the mental hospital at Koelwar in May. Sources said necessary directives had been issued for posting of specialist doctors at the hospital. The required medicines would also be made available at the earliest, sources added.

The mental hospital will have 150 beds each for male and female patients. The TB sanatorium based at Koelwar had been converted into the mental hospital through the financial support of the Centre worth Rs four crore.

Bihar would be able to save Rs one lakh every month after the new hospital becomes operational. Presently, nearly 200 patients of Bihar were being treated at Kanke for which the government had to pay Rs 500 per patient to the Jharkhand government.

UNI