Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, delivers an implicit critique of the previous Lalu-Rabri administration while emphasizing the state’s underdeveloped healthcare infrastructure. Addressing a gathering of medical professionals, Kumar reminisces about the dire state of Bihar’s healthcare facilities when he assumed power in 2005, highlighting the abysmally low patient footfall at government hospitals due to inadequate resources. He underscores his transformative efforts, involving the recruitment of medical personnel, acquisition of vital medical equipment, and the enhancement of essential healthcare amenities, which have vastly improved the state’s healthcare landscape.
Moreover, Nitish Kumar shared a personal anecdote in which he spent a night at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology (IGIC) in Patna to ensure that his mother received the necessary medical treatment. This account illuminates the suboptimal state of healthcare institutions at the time, with a significant turnaround subsequently realized under his leadership.
Kumar’s speech includes future plans for an extensive overhaul of the Patna Medical College, an endeavor that, according to healthcare professionals, would culminate in the establishment of the world’s second-largest medical college and hospital.
Through these narratives, the Chief Minister underscores the remarkable journey of Bihar’s healthcare system, emphasizing the substantial advancements made under his governance.