New medical colleges to be opened in Bihar:Nitish

Patna, Nov 20: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today launched an ambitious programme for providing 24 hours medical facilities and announced to open new medical colleges in the state to enhance the number of doctors and paramedical personnel.

After inaugurating three separate programmes for better health services, Mr Kumar admitted the dearth of doctors and nursing staff in the state and said the government would soon establish new medical colleges to cater to the needs of the health sector.

No appointment was made in this sector during the past 15 years which resulted in the shortage of personnel, he said and maintained his government was committed to improve the health scenario of the state.

Mr Kumar outlined the importance of both medicare and healthcare and stressed the need for better health care system to prevent the spread of diseases.

Apart from providing free medicines to the indoor patients and bearing the expenditures for operations in the government hospitals, the chief minister inaugurated a 24-hour ambulance service and treatment facility by the specialised doctors round the clock in the state.

Describing the new programmes as a milestone in the health sector of Bihar' Mr Kumar changed the nomenclature of Rajvanshinagar hospital as 'Lok Nayak Jayprakash' hospital as its foundation stone was laid by Jayprakash himself and announced to make it a model hospital.

On this occasion, the state health secretary Deepak Kumar announced to incorporate additional facilities under the new programmes at the earliest. He said right now 700 ambulances were functional under the scheme which would reach to the patient within 15 to 20 minutes of dialing 102. Specialists from almost all fields of the health services, general doctors, pathologists and nurses would be available round the clock, he added.

To avail the services the patient will have to dial 1911 on which they can even directly talk to the doctors through telecom. All the telephone numbers though are toll free but to avail the services the concerned patient will have to pay the charges fixed by the government.

Meanwhile, when contacted, sources at the toll free numbers responded promptly and informed that services of 13 doctors have been taken in the state capital under the scheme. The sources said that a tie-up was made with some of the prominent pathological laboratories of the state capital for pathological tests.

According to the source all the three services had have kicked off in six districts namely Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Bhabhua, Rohtas and Buxar and would be expanded soon in other districts.

UNI