The outward flow of patients is continuing in the absence of quality healthcare in the state and the government’s failure to attract private players.

A few months ago, big private players such as Medanta and Max were in talks with the government for investing in the sector. The initiatives have come a cropper because of lack of follow-up from the government’s end.

Sources in the department confirmed that no discussions were held with officials of Medanta or Max after the initial talks. Former health secretary Vyasji had told The Telegraph in August that both private groups — in talks with him — had shown interest in opening centres in Bihar.

Medanta — The Medicity had proposed to set up a super-speciality hospital for heart, liver and kidney ailments on the campus of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Max Hospital had shown interest in opening a hospital on the campus of Jai Prabha Hospital in Kankerbagh.

A source said: “In principle, the state government and Medanta were ready to set up the hospital (on the IGIMS campus). Only the terms like who would have more control over the health hub under the public-private partnership mode and other modalities were to be worked out. But no further talks have been held with the Medanta officials. Max had also shown interest in opening a hospital at Jai Prabha Hospital. But after the initial talks, there has been no further movement. So, both the projects are stuck.”

Private hospitals could do a lot for the state’s health and a done deal with Medanta or Max would have been a big win for the state.

Sources in the health department say the focus now is on development of the state-run medical college and hospitals. But the condition of the health hubs remain poor.

The government hospitals lack basic infrastructure as well as the resources. Advanced surgeries in almost any discipline are impossible — something that is unthinkable in the metro cities of Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai or Chennai. Those in need end up going to these cities too.

Super-speciality departments are missing in government hospitals and liver and kidney transplants are out of the question, as are facilities for vertebrae collapse surgery or retina advanced laser therapy.

Plans to develop the state’s health infrastructure might be in place, but that would clearly take years to materialise.

In the absence of state help, some private practitioners claim to provide surgeries such as total knee and total hip replacements, but a close look there too reveals that those performing the operations come in from outside Bihar. Nor are the treatments regular.

There is not one virology lab in Bihar, for which people suffering from viral diseases have to live in uncertainty. Gamma knife radiosurgery for the brain or capsule endoscopy to detect haemorrhage in the entire gastrointestinal tract are also missing.

If one still attempts to find a silver lining in all the cloud, there is a glimmer of hope — private partnerships, skill training and people returning to their homeland to treat the ailing.

The Paras group of hospitals with centres in Gurgaon and Delhi came to Patna this year courtesy a tie-up with the Hai Medicare and Research Institute, Patna. It has now been renamed the Paras HMRI Hospital.

The 350-bed super-speciality hospital has in its fold different departments, including cardiology, neurology, orthopaedic and oncology. A team comprising 150 doctors — many of whom have come after stints at Delhi’s Fortis Hospital or Vellore’s Christian Medical College and Hospital — are available at the new health hub.

In 2012, Medanta-The Medicity launched its outpatients’ department (OPD) at Jagdish Memorial Hospital for treating cases of brain tumour in Patna.

“Doctors from Medanta-The Medicity conduct OPD on the second Saturday of every month at Jagdish Memorial Hospital in Kankerbagh. Last Saturday, heart specialists, neurologists and gastroenterologists checked patients at the OPD. Very soon, nephrologists and plastic surgeons would also come here,” said an official at the Kankerbagh hospital.

Medanta even wanted to start the service in other places in the state but the plan failed to materialise. For instance, Medanta officials tried to go to Muzaffarpur once but the dismal condition of the road foiled repeat trips.

“It is quite difficult to visit far-flung areas in Bihar given the time it takes in the journeys. So as of now, the service would be available in Patna alone,” said a source.

Second, skills training thanks to Apollo MedSkills, the Apollo Hospitals Group’s first training academy in the state. Started in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation, the academy in Patna trains doctors, nurses and paramedics, helping them hone their skills.

For instance, in paramedics, the centre offers diploma courses in dialysis technology, medical lab technology, radiology and imaging technology, operation theatre technology and cardiac non-invasive technology. In postgraduate diploma for paramedics are available courses in emergency medicine technology, radiology and imaging technology, medical lab technology and ward administration.

A member of the state chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said: “The entry of Apollo Hospitals to Bihar could have happened two years ago. The government had provided it land in Bihta, 40km west of Patna, but the group returned the plot citing law and order problems. But now that it has inaugurated the skills centre here (started second in the country after Chennai), the group’s intention is clear. They want to extend their operations to the state and if that happens, it would be a great boost for the health sector.”

Finally, people returning home, leaving jobs with PGI Chandigarh and PGI Lucknow. One such person is Amresh Krishna. A nephrologist at IGIMS, Krishna said: “The desire to work in my own state brought me back here. Another motivating factor was here I have more chances to grow as a doctor. At PGI Lucknow, apart from me, there were six other doctors in the department. Here, there are less number of doctors giving me the chance to treat more patients.”

Experts though are divided on the state of healthcare.

Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, president, IMA, Bihar, said: “We should not criticise the government for not making too many efforts in convincing private players to invest in the health sector. They would, in no way, think about the poor people of the state. The government should rather focus on developing the government hospitals and the resources. The new principal secretary, Deepak Kumar, is hard working and I am sure he would be able to bring about positive changes.”

Ajay Kumar, the general secretary of Bihar Health Services Association, had a different view. “Even if private players start hospitals here, if they find there is no competition in their way to provide specialised treatments, they would not take the burden to give the state’s patients their 100 per cent,” he said.