The Bihar authorities hasn’t been in a position to spend 31 p.c of its whole well being price range between 2016-17 and 2021-22, the Comptroller and Auditor Basic of India stated in its newest report on the state’s public well being, fundamental infrastructure and companies. The figures, introduced in a report that was tabled within the meeting on November 28, has drawn criticism from the Opposition.
In accordance with the CAG, “between the monetary years of 2016-17 and 2021-22, the state spent solely Rs 48,047 Crore (69 per cent) of whole price range provisions of Rs 69,730.83 crore”.
The report additionally highlighted another necessary elements, equivalent to large scarcity of docs. In accordance with the report, Bihar continues to be wanting 66,775 docs — 53 p.c lower than the quantity advisable by the World Well being Group (WHO) and 32 per cent lower than the nationwide common. The WHO recommends 1,24,919 docs for a inhabitants of 12.49 crore (as of March 2022), the report says.
“Nevertheless, solely 58,144 allopathic docs had been made accessible within the state as of January 2022, which is 53% lower than the WHO’s advisable norms and 32% lower than the nationwide common,” it says.
Likewise, there’s additionally a scarcity of nurses, paramedical employees and important medicines in authorities hospitals. Whereas the scarcity of nurses ranged from 18 p.c (Patna) to 75 p.c (Purnia), that of paramedics ranged from 45 p.c (in Jamui) to 90 p.c (East Champaran).
Scarcity of important medicines ranged from 21-65 p.c in Out-Affected person Departments (OPD) and 34-83 p.c for these admitted at hospitals between 2016 and 2022.
Throughout this era, 846 (44 p.c) of the state’s 1,932 public well being centres (PHCs) and extra public well being centres (APHCs) didn’t perform round the clock. Of it, 566 (29 p.c) PHCs and APHCs had maternity companies and 266 of them (14 p.c) had operation theatres.
The CAG has made as many as 31 suggestions to enhance well being companies within the state.
The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal has attacked the state authorities for the underutilised well being price range. Considerably, the RJD was a part of the Nitish Kumar-led state authorities from August 2022 to January 2024, when the chief minister broke the alliance to return to the NDA.
“The well being sector wants particular focus. The interval throughout which RJD additionally shared energy (2016-2017) reveals that well being funds weren’t used however the bulk of accountability rests with the NDA authorities,” RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari advised The Indian Specific.
Congress spokesperson Gyan Ranjan Gupta stated leaving well being funds unused “reveals inefficacy of the system, particularly after we are too wanting docs, help employees and medical tools”.
Nevertheless, senior BJP chief and well being minister Mangal Pandey defended it saying: “The state authorities has been attempting its greatest to make sure that its price range is optimised however some funds couldn’t be used due to procedural delays”.
