Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi government for equipping the AIIMS at Patna with requisite facilities and taking the decision to set up another such hospital in Bihar.
 

"If these institutes function properly there will be less pressure on the AIIMS in Delhi which treats a large number of patients from Bihar," he said inaugurating a state-of-the-art medical facility set up by the state government here. Kumar's comment came in the backdrop of an alleged comment by Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey a few months ago that "Biharis are crowding AIIMS (in Delhi)". The Bihar chief minister lauded Union Health Minister J P Nadda for adopting a "preventive" health policy which was reflected in measures like the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, an official release.

The medical facility 'Samrat Ashok Tropical Disease Research Centre' was inaugurated by Kumar and Nadda during the day. "Bihar is doing its bit for the nation-wide cleanliness drive through schemes like Lohia Swachhata Abhiyan, ensuring availability of clean drinking water and putting an end to the practice of defecating in the open", Kumar said at the inaugural programme. The chief minister said his government has been working towards regaining the trust of the people in state-run health services.

"The number of patients visiting a primary health centre per month which was a dismal 39 in February 2006 has shot up to 2000 eight months later. Today the figure has crossed 10,000," he said. The 'Samrat Ashok Tropical Disease Research Centre' would specialise in treatment of serious infectious diseases. It has been built at a cost of Rs.100 crore and has 150 beds, including six for the intensive care unit, said Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey who was present on the occasion.