Parliament Question: Shortage of Doctors and equipment in major hospitals of Patna

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 430 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03rd FEBRUARY, 2026 SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS AND EQUIPMENT IN MAJOR HOSPITALS OF PATNA 430. SHRI AKHILESH PRASAD SINGH: Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) whether Government hospitals and medical colleges in Patna, including Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) institutions, are facing shortages of doctors, nurses and critical medical equipments; (b) the present vacancy position in such institutions; (c) the funds released for strengthening tertiary healthcare infrastructure in Bihar during the last three years; and (d) the steps taken to ensure quality and affordable healthcare services in urban Bihar? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) & (b): ‘Public Health’ & ‘Hospitals’ are State subjects. The primary responsibility of availability of doctors, nurses and medical equipment in Government hospitals and Medical colleges, including those medical colleges under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), lies with the respective State Governments. Health Dynamics of India (HDI) (Infrastructure & Human Resources), is an annual publication, based on healthcare administrative data reported by States/UTs. Details of availability of human resource including doctors, nurses and vacant posts in Government hospitals and Medical Colleges in Patna, may be seen at the following link of HDI 2022-23: https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrastr ucture%20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23_RE%20%281%29.pdf There is no shortage of manpower and equipment in AIIMS Patna established under PMSSYin Bihar. (c) The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) with an outlay of Rs.64,180 crore aims to provide support for infrastructure development for Sub- Health Centres, Urban Health and Wellness Centres, Support for Block Public Health Units, Integrated District Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) and Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs). Central Release under PM-ABHIM for the State of Bihar for Infrastructure Strengthening from FY 2022-23 to FY 2024-25 is given at Annexure. PMSSY aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable tertiary healthcare services and to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. Under PMSSY, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a new AIIMS at Darbhanga in the year 2020 at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,264 crore. So far, an amount of Rs. 27.81 crore has been released for AIIMS Darbhanga, including Rs. 2.81 crore during FY 2024–25 and Rs. 25 crore during FY 2025–26 (released up to 30.01.2026). Further, 6 projects have been taken up for the up-gradation of Government Medical Colleges (GMCI) under the scheme in the State of Bihar. The details of central fund released/sanctioned for these projects is given at Annexure. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare administers a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 'Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals' with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. The fund sharing mechanism between the Centre and State Governments is in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern and Special Category States, and 60:40 for others. Under the Scheme, all the envisaged 157 Government medical colleges have already been approved in three phases incluiding 8 medical colleges in Bihar at Purnia, Saran (Chhapara), Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Jhanjharpur, Siwan, Buxar and Jamui. Further, under CSS for 'Strengthening and up-gradation of Govt. Medical Colleges for Increase of PG seats, increase of 314 PG seats have been approved in 7 medical colleges in the State of Bihar in two phases with total approved cost of Rs. 212.42 crore. (d) “Public Health & Hospitals” is a State subject, hence, the primary responsibility of providing basic health services to all the citizens of the country lies with respective State/UT Government. The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources in health facilities, to improve availability, affordability and accessibility to quality health care especially for the poor and vulnerable sections in urban, rural, and tribal/hilly areas including Bihar. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system in rural areas based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission. Government of India provides approval for the proposal in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as pernorms & available resources. A total of 1.82 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) have been established and operationalized in the country, including 12,144 AAMs in Bihar, which deliver expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services encompassing preventive, promotive, palliative, rehabilitative, and curative care. National Free Drugs Service initiative and Free diagnostic Service has been rolled out to ensure availability of essential drugs and diagnostic facilities and reduce out of pocket expenditure of the patients visiting public health facilities. The various other initiatives carried out under NHM by the Government of India for enhancing the affordability of healthcare in the country including urban Bihar are National Ambulance Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral Facilities, Prime Minister's National Dialysis Programme, various activities under Reproductive & Child Health, Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and Universal Immunization programme. With the aim of ensuring and enhancing the quality of healthcare services, National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) have been launched for all health facilities including AAMs. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a flagship scheme of the Government which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to approximately 55 Crore beneficiaries corresponding to 12.37 Crore families constituting economically vulnerable bottom 40% of India’s population. Recently, the scheme has been expanded to cover 6 crore senior citizens of age 70 years and above belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio-economic status under AB PM-JAY with Vay Vandana Card. Under PMSSY, AIIMS Patna has been established to strengthen tertiary-level healthcare with 24x7 fully operational IPD, Trauma and Emergency Blocks with scheduled time and date of OPD services. *****Annexure Central Release under PM-ABHIM for the State of Bihar for Infrastructure Strengthening from FY 2022-23 to FY 2024-25: (Rs in Crore) Financial Year Central Release 2022-23 7.17 2023-24 0.00 2024-25 15.92 Details of central fund released/sanctioned for the projects taken up for the up-gradation of Government Medical Colleges/Institutes (GMCI) in the State of Bihar under PMSSY: State Name of Govt. Medical College Central Fund released/sanctioned / Institute (GMCI) (Rs. in Crore) Till 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 Total 2022-23 1 Srikrishna Medical College, 100.73 0 12.03 0 112.76 Muzaffarapur 2 Govt. Medical College, 109.14 0 0 0 109.14 Darbhanga Bihar 3 Patna Medical College & 75.40 32.00 0 0 107.40 Hospital, Patna 4 Government Medical College, 112.69 0.25 1.94 0 114.88 Bhagalpur 5 Government Medical College, 112.88 0 2.02 0 114.90 Gaya 6 Indira Gandhi Institute of 65.40 32.39 0 0 97.79 Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna ****