Patna: AIIMS Patna has successfully treated more than 700 children with serious orthopaedic conditions over the past five years, marking a significant expansion of specialised paediatric care in Bihar.
According to the institute, a total of 712 paediatric orthopaedic surgeries were carried out during this period. The children treated suffered from a wide range of conditions, including congenital limb deformities, traumatic injuries, bone infections, bone tumours, metabolic bone disorders and limb length discrepancies. Many complex cases that previously required referral to hospitals outside Bihar are now being managed routinely at AIIMS Patna.
Hospital officials said a substantial proportion of the patients came from poor and economically weaker families and received free treatment under government health schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and the Chief Minister Health Relief Fund.
The institute has increasingly drawn patients not only from across Bihar but also from neighbouring states and Nepal, positioning itself as a major referral centre for paediatric orthopaedic care in eastern India. Doctors say the services have helped hundreds of children regain mobility and improve their quality of life, contributing to the broader objectives of the National Health Mission.
The executive director of AIIMS Patna, Dr (Brigadier) Raju Agrawal, said waiting times for paediatric orthopaedic surgeries had reduced significantly due to the addition of operation theatres, improved infrastructure and adequate staffing. He said the institute remained committed to providing “quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to all”.
Professor Anup Kumar, medical superintendent and head of the department of orthopaedics, said government-funded health schemes had played a crucial role in ensuring that families were not burdened by the cost of hospitalisation and surgery.
Paediatric orthopaedic services at AIIMS Patna are led by Dr Ritesh Arvind Pandey, with complex spinal deformity cases handled by Dr Prabhat Agrawal and Dr Avinash Kumar. Paediatric trauma cases are managed with support from Professor Anup Kumar, Dr Sudeep Kumar and Dr Balgovind Raja. The department of anaesthesiology, headed by Professor Umesh Bhadani, oversees anaesthesia and perioperative care for children.
