Patna: The Bihar government will soon recruit over 41,000 health workers to strengthen the state’s public healthcare system, Health Minister Mangal Pandey announced on Wednesday. The move comes alongside the launch of new health infrastructure projects in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, aimed at bolstering rural and urban care delivery.
Speaking at inaugurations held across the two districts, Pandey highlighted a dramatic shift in Bihar’s healthcare landscape since 2005, claiming that villages which once lacked functioning hospitals are now seeing rapid development under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership.
In Muzaffarpur, the minister inaugurated a new model hospital on the Sadar Hospital campus, with 100 beds and a dedicated OPD for 16 departments. The emergency ward features 20 beds, with IPD and surgical facilities located on the first floor. Outpatient services will begin from May 15, and the hospital will be fully operational from June 1.
Pandey also laid the foundation for 27 Health and Wellness Centres in Muzaffarpur district, part of a broader effort to expand rural access. The combined investment in the hospital and centres is over Rs 41 crore.
In Darbhanga, the minister unveiled a prefabricated nursing hostel worth Rs 14.04 crore and inaugurated 10 new operating theatres at DMCH’s surgical building. Most notably, he announced plans to construct a 1,700-bed hospital at DMCH, stating that once completed, patients would no longer need to travel to Patna for treatment.
“These initiatives are part of our vision to create an Arogya Mandir (temple of health) in every region,” Pandey said. “The government is doubling the amount of free medicines provided and expanding the reach of doctors and nurses through recruitment and infrastructure.”
Challenges on the Ground
Despite the announcements, the minister faced criticism during his visit. Patients in Muzaffarpur raised concerns about inadequate medicine supplies and the unavailability of doctors. Rajesh Bhagat, a patient, said he was given only two of three prescribed medicines, while another, Vinod Sah, said he struggled to get an ECG done due to staff shortages.
Asha workers also voiced grievances, with union member Anita Sharma stating that their honorarium had been delayed for six months. She called for a revision in the incentive structure, to which Pandey promised prompt action.
