Patna, June 30 (UNI) Ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar, the INDIA bloc today promised to transform the healthcare system in Bihar after forming the government.
Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot announced here that a Rajasthan-model healthcare system will be implemented in Bihar to achieve the goal.
He said that Bihar’s healthcare system has collapsed during the 20-year rule of Nitish Kumar. A recent CAG report has laid bare the extent of this failure. The medical staff shortage is critical. With 59,168 approved positions, only 23,851 are filled—a 60% vacancy rate. He claimed the problem is even worse for Ayush doctors (89% vacant), paramedical staff (79% vacant), and specialist doctors (up to 86% vacant).
Gehlot said: “An INDIA bloc government in Bihar will implement a Chiranjeevi scheme, mirroring Rajasthan’s Congress government’s initiative, providing up to Rs25 lakh in free medical treatment at both public and private hospitals for all income levels.”
As Chief Minister of Rajasthan he had enacted the Right to Health Act in Rajasthan, guaranteeing free treatment for all emergencies. The move had significantly reduced out-of-pocket medical costs for ordinary citizens and explored making health insurance universally accessible and affordable.
The Chiranjeevi Bima Yojana provided Rs10 lakh in health insurance and Rs5 lakh in accident insurance. It also covered medication costs for five days prior to and fifteen days after hospitalisation. This plan made Rs5 lakh in coverage accessible to all income levels, a first for the nation.
He added: “We also expanded healthcare by establishing medical colleges, increasing hospital capacity, and boosting the availability of doctors, vaccinations, and maternity services.”
AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru also criticised the state’s healthcare system, claiming the current government has reduced Bihar to a state of crisis. He stated that the people of Bihar are suffering immensely due to the severely deteriorated healthcare services.
He further asserted that the government's mismanagement has pushed the state’s healthcare system to a critical point, referencing a CAG report acknowledging the dire state of healthcare in Bihar. UNI XC SSP