Patna: The Bihar health department has stepped up efforts to make the newly constructed building of Patna Medical College Hospital fully operational, finalising a phased plan to shift two of its most sensitive departments later this month.
The paediatrics department will be relocated on February 21, followed by obstetrics and gynaecology on February 28, officials said, stressing that the staggered move is aimed at ensuring continuity of care while upgrading facilities.
The decision followed an inspection visit on Saturday by a team led by health department secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh. The delegation included senior officials from the department, representatives of BMSICL, engineers from Larsen & Toubro, the construction agency for the project, and members of the PMCH administration. Discussions focused on infrastructure readiness, staffing, medical equipment and potential bottlenecks in the transition process.
At the meeting, Singh directed officials to ensure that all essential equipment, medicines, beds and trained personnel are in place before any department is shifted, underlining that patient services must not be affected “at any level”.
The new paediatrics wing has been equipped with advanced facilities, including 55 beds for neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, 66 general paediatric beds and 30 beds dedicated to thalassaemia, nutrition rehabilitation and other specialised needs.
Facilities in the obstetrics and gynaecology department have also been significantly expanded, with 90 general beds, two modern operation theatres, 10 ICU beds and dedicated post-operative and recovery rooms.
Once the two departments are successfully moved, officials plan to shift the ophthalmology department to the new building as well.
The inspection also reviewed delays in the radiology department. Officials said steps have been accelerated to make two CT scan machines and one MRI scanner operational. Correspondence has been initiated with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for approval related to the CT scanners, while the commissioning process for the MRI machine is in its final stages. Trained manpower will be arranged through BMSICL to ensure diagnostic services are provided free of cost.
Following the review, PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiv Kumar Singh held a separate meeting with department heads to compile requirements for outpatient departments, operation theatres and minor OTs. The consolidated list will be sent to the health department to enable timely procurement and allow the new building to function at full capacity.
“PMCH is being developed as a world-class facility with state-of-the-art treatment,” Singh said. “Our priority is that patients face no difficulty and receive accurate and timely care without having to run from one place to another.”
