Patna, Aug. 17: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today laid the foundation stone of the first private medical college and hospital in the district.

Lord Buddha International Institute of Medical Sciences — being developed by Majestic Overseas Private Limited, a subsidiary company of Medical World for U based in UK, is spread across 34.22 acres at Devkuli village in Beldarichak panchayat, around 20km south of Patna.

The fifth private medical college in Bihar would perhaps be the maiden facility in the state, where specialists, general practitioners and village-level doctors would be trained.

The Buddhist Foundation of Japan has agreed to give a soft loan to the tune of Rs 350 crore for development of this medical college and hospital.

Maxillofacial surgeon Alok Kumar, the college director and chief executive officer of Majestic Overseas, said admissions to the 100-seat MBBS course is expected to start from March 2015, after completion of the first phase of construction involving 300-bed centrally air-conditioned hospital and nursing college.

The site has been broadly divided into three zones — hospital, college and residential. The total cost for developing the college-cum-hospital has been estimated at Rs 1,200 crore, which would include a centrally air-conditioned 900-bed hospital, dental college, nursing home, pharmacy college and paramedical college.

Sharing his experiences in conceptualising the project, Ashok Kumar, the managing director of Majestic Overseas and a Nalanda resident, said: “In December 2005, I watched the chief minister address a non-resident Indian Bihari meet in Hyderabad on television at my office in UK. As per his appeal to non-resident Indians to return to the state, I submitted a proposal for this college with the industrial development committee of the state government and it was accepted.”

Ashok added: “I believe the training mechanism for health services in the state and the country is unorganised. Of 30,000 doctors with MBBS degrees, only 30 per cent get further training through higher courses like MD and MS. Our college would be perhaps the first ever facility in the state, where doctors would be trained.”

Nitish said: “According to national norms, there should be 20 medical colleges and hospitals in Bihar. Apart from six government-owned medical colleges and a few private institutes, we still need around 10 more. I am glad that people like Ashok are coming up to contribute towards the development of the state. I am happy as the owners of this college have told me they would keep 300 beds in the hospital free of cost for the poor.”

healthy future

Project: Lord Buddha Institute of Medical Sciences

Location: Devkuli village, Beldarichak panchayat, 20km south of Patna on Patna-Gaya road

Area: 34.22 acres

Cost: Rs 750 crore

Deadline: To be completed in five years in two phases nFirst phase: Medical college with 100 seats and 300-bed hospital expected to be opened in March 2015 nSecond phase: A 600-bed super speciality hospital by 2017

Maiden initiative: State’s first training facility for all categories of medicos — specialised doctors, general practitioners & village-level doctors