A consultant will soon prepare ways to develop six state-run medical colleges into centres of excellence.

Admitting that the medical colleges lacked several basic and standard services, senior health officers said that the department would invite expression of interest from private firms to remodel the institutions that serve some thousands of people daily besides churning out professionals every year.

“We know that our medical colleges need major overhaul according to the Medical Council of India standards and we require experts to help us prepare a roadmap for that. We have decided to rope in a private firm with expertise in this field so that we get all the specifics planned for the purpose,” said additional health secretary Rajendra Prasad Ojha.

The detailed project report (DPR) will include plans for all government medical colleges — Patna Medical College and Hospital, Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital.

The major possible changes in the DPR might include building plans, updated organisational structures, advanced services and facilities for patients and streamlining the treatment procedure — on a par with top medical institutions in the country.

Ojha said that the decision was taken after a recent meeting with senior officers and doctors from all medical colleges. They had been asked to come up with suggestions on ways to improve the functioning of the health cradles. “During the meeting, we reached to a conclusion that hiring a consultant would be the best way to go about our idea. We are about to invite expression of interest ” he added.

Medical colleges in the state are grappling with problems such as infrastructure issues, shortage of manpower and lack of resources even as influx of patients in these tertiary care centres has increased manifold in the last few years.

“It is unfortunate that some of the medical colleges even do not have proper diagnostic machines, advance treatment facilities for major diseases and trained manpower. At some places, specialist doctors are not utilised to the best of their capacity in the absence of trained assistants and paramedics or equipment to treat patients. Most of the medical colleges cannot even provide radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients. If we want to change the fortune of our medical colleges, we have to take big initiatives and getting a roadmap prepared for the purpose will be the first step in that direction,” said a senior doctor in Patna.

Besides, the department has also asked Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation to prepare vision documents for the medical colleges. The documents will suggest ways to utilise the land available with the colleges, renovate infrastructure and augment MBBS and PG seats.