Workshop on detection process

AIIMS Patna: Proposed by the BJP-led NDA government in 2003
AIIMS-like institute in Bihar: Proposed by the BJP-led NDA government on Saturday

Doctors in the city are unsure if the idea whether proposals in Union budgets like these would at all help patients. Twelve years on, AIIMS Patna is still struggling to meet the deadline for starting full-fledged services. Another AIIMS-like hospital, though is a very good idea, might take decades before it begins operations, feel several doctors.
Paras HMRI Hospital director and ace surgeon A.A. Hai said instead of adding another hospital, both the Union and state governments should think about strengthening the existing hospitals.

“In theory, Bihar needs a lot of government and private hospitals but just announcing that grant would be provided to start another hospital in the state cannot be the solution. If the Union government is serious enough about improving healthcare in the state, it would have thought about consolidating the existing hospitals, including Patna Medical College and Hospital and Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences,” he said.

He added: “At AIIMS Patna, nothing is happening there at present. The government should have first strengthened the existing AIIMS. However, my suggestion would be to ask private players to come forward for investing in the healthcare industry in the state as they have proved that they can extend better services to the patients,” said Hai
Sunil Kumar Singh, director, Sanjeevani Eye Hospital, and vice-president of Indian Medical Association (IMA) state chapter, said: “The announcement of opening a new AIIMS-like institute at present is a mere eyewash. When the Union government’s existing hospitals — Employees State Insurance Corporation Hospital and AIIMS Patna — are not fully equipped, then it should not think about opening any new hospital in the state. The Centre earlier announced to provide help in opening a virology lab in the state. These promises have not been fulfilled yet. How can they think about another AIIMS-like institution?.”

“Concept of opening many AIIMS is itself debatable. The Union government’s decision to start a new AIIMS, which does not come under the purview of Medical Council of India, cannot be termed right. All the new AIIMSes are exempted from the supervision of MCI. However, if the Centre is really serious about opening a new AIIMS in the state, it should ensure its timely completion and look after the monetary requirement for making the new AIIMS fully functional on time,” said Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, former president of IMA state chapter.

A few doctors welcomed the Union government’s announcement though. “It’s a wonderful announcement that an AIIMS-like institution would be opened in the state. Those who are criticising the Union government on this issue, they should understand it that if the Centre executes the plan seriously and monitor the work properly, then another AIIMS could be started in just five years. It is only about how much the government is dedicated to the project,” said Ajit Pradhan, noted cardiologist, and chief cardiac surgeon at Jeevak Heart Hospital. 

At AIIMS Patna, some of the plans have been executed but the principal focus “to bring the most sophisticated healthcare to the last man in the queue” is still to be implemented. The super-speciality hospital, being set up under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana on the lines of AIIMS New Delhi, would help thousands of people get timely treatment. A lot of people visit CMC Vellore and other hospitals around the country to get quality treatment — something yet to be made available to the common people across the state.