PATNA: State health minister Mangal Pandey on Thursday said infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR) have dropped in the state and healthcare facilities improved in government hospitals.Addressing media persons after releasing a book on achievements of state government in health sector over the last 16 months, Pandey said the number of patients visiting primary health centres in the state has increased to around 11,000 per month from just 41 in 2005.“While only 32.8% children were vaccinated in 2005, the figure has now risen to 84%. The MMR has come down to 165 per one lakh population from 208 in 2011-13. Similarly, IMR has come down to 38 per one thousand population from 42 in 2011-13,” the minister said.He said Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) had only 100 beds in emergency unit since independence, but the number has doubled in last 16 months. “The health department will soon increase the number of doctors in government and private hospitals from 1,300 at present to 3,000.Appreciating Ayushman Bharat scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, Pandey said 5,000 people have benefited from the scheme in Bihar. “A separate Rajya Swastha Suraksha Samiti had been formed for smooth implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme and over 600 hospitals in Bihar , including 60 private ones, have been empaneled in it,” the health minister said.He added, “The state had only 11 medical college and hospitals since independence. However, the NDA government in state has approved opening of 11 more medical college and hospitals in the state. Land has already been made available for nine of the proposed hospitals and bidding process for construction of buildings of Chhapra and Purnia hospitals has been completed.”Pandey said the state government has sanctioned Rs 129 crore for upgradation of mental hospital at Koelwar. The work to upgrade Rajendra Nagar Eye Hospital is also underway, he added.“A 100-bed cancer hospital will soon come up soon at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna. Also, a 15-acre land has been made available to Tata Memorial at Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur for construction of a cancer hospital with an estimated outlay of Rs 200 crore,” the minister said.He said 94 auxiliary nurse midwife institutes and 23 general nursing and midwifery institutes would be established in the state soon.“The Centre and the state government has resolved to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from Bihar by 2025. An officer has been deployed in each district to monitor the TB eradication programme,” the minister added.Info centre opened at Danapur hospital: State health minister Mangal Pandey on Thursday inaugurated an automated information centre and a model immunization centre at Danapur sub-divisional hospital. Pandey said people could get information related to family welfare scheme though this automated information centre and also register their complaints.

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