Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone for multiple projects in Bihar, including an AIIMS in Darbhanga district, on Wednesday and laid foundation stone and inaugurated many other development projects in sectors such as road, rail, petroleum and natural gas, at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore.
The proposed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Darbhanga would fulfill the need for a medical hub for advanced health-care facility services offered to the residents of the entire North Bihar and even neighboring Kosi, Seemanchal, parts of West Bengal, and even Nepal.
Addressing a huge gathering in Darbhanga, PM Modi focused the confidence that the National Democratic Alliance government will have in supporting poor and middle-class families particularly for strengthening the health care sector.
"AIIMS Darbhanga is the landmark for the Mithila region, as accessible, high-quality health services will bring an end to long-distance travel for treatment. The AIIMS will serve Darbhanga but benefit Kosi, Seemanchal, parts of West Bengal and Nepal," stated PM Modi as the institute readies itself for being the high light of the healthcare hub for the region.
PM Modi also spoke about the healthcare infrastructure created under his government and compared it with the limited ones in the past.
"`For 60 years after independence, there was only one AIIMS in Delhi and people from all over the country had to travel there for serious health issues,'" he noted.
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana also received a mention. So far, it has delivered free treatment to 4 crore people, saving them the total Rs 1.25 lakh crore.
Ayushman Bharat Yojana would particularly target all those patients who have a serious health problem, and its other provision includes free treatment for citizens who are 70 years and more. It was promised in the previous Lok Sabha election by NDA. Later, these elderly beneficiaries will be given Ayushman Bharat cards for hassle-free access to healthcare.
PM Modi discussed some of these specific health issues on the part of poor and middle-class families, which include malnutrition, lack of sanitation, and irregular meals that reason for health problems.
He associated such issues with the government's efforts like the Rashtriya Swachhta Mission-the National Cleanliness Mission-directly assuring to address problems of sanitation-related roots of illness.
"Sanitation is an important factor in health," he said, emphasizing his government's commitment to cleanliness drives and enhanced public health infrastructure. "The central government aims to establish 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the country, envisioned as healthcare hubs where people can access treatment for various diseases and undergo critical illness screenings, including for cancer and tuberculosis," he said.
On the efforts being made by the government to strengthen medical infrastructure, the prime minister mentioned that the number of medical colleges has doubled in the last decade under the NDA government.
Specialised healthcare facilities along with specialized health facilities have increased in Bihar, its first advanced Cancer Institute is found in Muzaffarpur and soon would have a world-class eye hospital.
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