India
Prime Minister Modi lays the foundation stone for AIIMS at Darbhanga in Bihar and highlights the government’s holistic healthcare approach | India News – Times of India
Prime Minister Modi lays the foundation stone for AIIMS in Darbhanga and highlights the government’s holistic healthcare approach (Photo: ANI)
Prime Minister Modi noted that the establishment of AIIMS in Darbhanga will significantly improve Bihar’s healthcare landscape, not only serving local regions like Mithila, Kosi and Tirhut, but also benefiting patients from neighboring West Bengal and Nepal.
He also highlighted the employment opportunities that the new AIIMS would generate and contribute to the local economy.
“This facility will not only serve the people of Mithila, Kosi and Tirhut regions but also West Bengal and nearby areas. Even patients from Nepal will be able to get treatment at this AIIMS hospital. The construction of AIIMS here will also lead to numerous new employment opportunities,” Prime Minister Modi said.
Addressing a meeting after the event, Prime Minister Modi said that this new AIIMS, among other development projects worth around Rs 12,100 crores, is part of a larger plan to improve healthcare accessibility and infrastructure across India.
“Our government is working with a holistic approach to healthcare in the country. Our primary focus is on disease prevention. The second focus is on accurate diagnosis. The third focus is to ensure affordable and free treatment. Our fourth focus is to provide better healthcare facilities even in smaller cities. The fifth focus is to expand the use of technology in healthcare,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi criticized previous governments for their lack of commitment to meeting the healthcare needs of the poor. and credited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for taking significant steps to change the healthcare scenario in the state.
“In the past the situation was very challenging. There were very few hospitals and doctors, and medicines were very expensive. Previous governments remained mired in promises and claims without any serious concern for the needs of the poor. Until Nitish took charge in Bihar There was no serious concern to address these issues,” PM Modi said.
Underscoring the importance of early disease detection, Prime Minister Modi pointed to the establishment of over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across India, which focus on early diagnosis of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. He highlighted the success of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which has provided treatment to over four million patients.
The Prime Minister also drew a comparison between the healthcare landscape of the past and present, pointing out that decades after Independence, there was only one AIIMS in Delhi, forcing patients to travel long distances for advanced treatment. He criticized the Congress government for their delayed implementation in setting up more AIIMS facilities, claiming that it was his government that took decisive action to expand medical infrastructure nationwide.
“Our government has established new AIIMS in all corners of the country. Today, there are nearly two dozen AIIMS across the country. In the last decade, the number of medical colleges has also doubled,” PM Modi added.
He further elaborated on his government’s efforts to improve medical education, citing the addition of one lakh new medical seats in the past decade and the plan to add another 75,000 in the coming years. The government has also introduced this medical education in hindi and other Indian languages, with the aim of enabling students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a career in medicine.
Prime Minister Modi concluded his speech by paying tribute to the late folk singer Sharda Sinha, who passed away recently, and acknowledged her contribution in spreading the cultural significance of the Chhath festival through her music.
“The way she has spread the significance of the great festival of Chhath across the world through her songs is truly remarkable,” PM Modi said.
