Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspects PMCH redevelopment progress, reviewing emergency services, new medical facilities, helipad safety, and major infrastructure upgrades. The government pushes for faster completion to transform PMCH into a modern, world-class healthcare institution.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday conducted a comprehensive inspection of the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), reviewing the pace and quality of the multi-phase redevelopment project that aims to transform the state’s largest government hospital into a world-class medical facility. The visit focused on assessing ongoing construction, medical infrastructure upgrades, and the operational readiness of newly completed sections.
Arriving in the morning, the Chief Minister began his inspection at the Emergency Building, where he evaluated the functioning of the emergency unit. He interacted with hospital officials and sought a detailed report on the availability of critical medical services, including emergency response capacity, patient handling facilities, and the supply of essential equipment. Nitish Kumar emphasized the importance of ensuring that emergency operations remain smooth and effective even during construction work.
After completing the review of the emergency section, the Chief Minister proceeded to the third floor of the hospital. Here, he inspected major outpatient departments, including the General Medicine OPD, Dental OPD, and the Gynaecology and Obstetrics OPD. He examined patient service areas, interaction zones, waiting facilities, and diagnostic support sections to ensure that the departments are functioning efficiently and are capable of managing high patient inflow.
Nitish Kumar then moved to the sixth floor of the under-construction segment of the hospital, where key medical facilities are being installed. These include the modular operation theatre complex, intensive care units, the oxygen pipeline network, and multiple consultation rooms. The Chief Minister reviewed the technical readiness of these facilities and directed officials to maintain strict quality standards during installation. He stressed that critical care infrastructure must be robust, modern, and operationally reliable, considering the hospital’s large patient load.
On reaching the top floor, Nitish Kumar inspected the air ambulance landing area, which is being developed to enhance emergency medical transportation. He instructed engineers and administrators to ensure that the boundary wall around the helipad is constructed at an adequate height for the safety of patients, staff, and aircraft personnel. He reiterated that all safety protocols must be followed without compromise.
During the visit, the Chief Minister issued firm instructions to expedite the pace of redevelopment work. He urged project teams to adhere to stipulated deadlines and ensure that each phase of construction meets prescribed quality benchmarks. He also emphasized that the redevelopment of PMCH is a flagship project critical to improving Bihar’s healthcare capacity, and any delay would affect essential medical services.
The PMCH redevelopment project was officially launched on February 8, 2021. Since the project’s initiation, several components have already been completed and opened to the public. On February 27, 2024, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated several key facilities, including the Combined Ultrasound and Biochemical Screening (CUB) unit, the Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase (MLCP) section, the Nurses’ and Girls’ hostels, and laid the foundation stone for a new power grid building. Following these inaugurations, the Bihar State Blood Bank commenced operations from the second floor of the CUB building.
Further strengthening the hospital’s infrastructure, the Chief Minister inaugurated the newly constructed Tower 1-2 building on May 3, 2024. The tower’s basement has been designed to accommodate parking for 120 four-wheelers and two-wheelers, significantly easing congestion on the hospital premises. The first floor of the building houses advanced diagnostic services, including CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, and X-ray facilities, alongside the ENT (Interventional Medical Practitioner) and Dermatology and Venereology departments.
The second and fourth floors of the building are dedicated to the Medicine (Interventional Medical Practitioner) and Dermatology and Venereology departments, offering enhanced treatment and consulting services.
During Friday’s inspection, the Chief Minister was accompanied by several senior officials, including Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Deepak Kumar, Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, Secretary of the Health Department Lokesh Kumar Singh, Secretary to the Chief Minister Kumar Ravi, Divisional Commissioner Chandrashekhar Singh, Special Secretary of the Health Department Himanshu Sharma, and other key officers. Their presence highlighted the government’s focus on ensuring effective coordination across departments involved in the PMCH redevelopment.
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The inspection reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to modernizing medical infrastructure, improving patient care, and transforming PMCH into one of India’s most advanced and efficient medical institutions.
