Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while inaugurating the new 20-bed addition to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology in Patna on Thursday said that soon the state would be having top medical facilities enabling patients suffering from any ailment to receive top medical care in Bihar sparing them from visiting places like Delhi and Chennai for similar treatments.
With the addition of 120 more beds, the hospital now boasts a total capacity of 210 beds with facilities for open heart surgery, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) director Dr. S. N. Mishra said.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated a health-related program named 'Muskan, Ek Abhiyan' (Smile - a Campaign) jointly sponsored by the UNICEF and the state health committee.
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, in his address, said the government was soon going to introduce health insurance scheme for those living below the poverty line.
"Under this scheme, the patient would be able to buy medicines up to a total cost of Rs. 30,000 each year along with a stipend for other medical expenses," Modi said adding the plan would be included in five districts initially but expanded to all other districts in next five years.
Health Minister Chandramohan Rai, Health secretary Deepak Kumar, BJP MLA from Patna Central Arun Kumar Sinha, and Institute's joint director Dr. Basant Singh were among other VIPs who were present on the occasion.
Source: www.patnadaily.com, 13th Oct,2007
