Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda inaugurated the ‘Medicine Update BJMFCON 2024’ organised by the Bihar and Jharkhand Medical Forum (BJMF) here on Sunday.

The BJMF is a socio-scientific organisation of doctors from the states of Bihar and Jharkhand that practicing in the Delhi NCR Region for a long and serving the people of the region. The first Medicine Update was held in 2023.

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Speaking on the occasion, Nadda said, “I am delighted to know that BJMF takes its socio, academic and scientific program ahead. You all have not just become doctors for yourself but also have given back to society. United efforts have been made by you to ensure outreach to society while also enlightening yourself through such conferences, continued medical education, seminars, group discussions, and panel discussions conducted by the BJMF.”

Highlighting the government’s efforts in transforming the health landscape of the country, he said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is taking steps to ensure high quality and affordable healthcare facilities to all and is committed to implementing a comprehensive health policy that provides holistic, inclusive, preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative care to all.”

Underlining the government’s efforts on preventive aspects of healthcare and early detection of diseases in the country, the health minister said, “There are 1.73 lakh high-quality Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in India that go through a digital high-quality assessment. Of a total of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in India, 10,716 are in Bihar with a footfall of 8.35 crore and 4.36 crore non-communicable disease (NCD) screenings, while there are 3,825 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Jharkhand with a footfall of 2.33 crore and 2.12 crore NCD screenings.”

Making a mention the strides made in mother and child health, Nadda said, “Institutional deliveries increased from 78.9 per cent to 88.6 per cent in the first 5 years of Modi government. The infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined in the country.”

The health minister said, “From 387 before 2014 to 766, an increase of 98 per cent in the number of medical colleges has been ensured under the Prime Minister’s leadership. 157 district hospitals were converted to medical colleges out of which 8 were in Bihar in Purnia, Saran, Samastipur, Jhajharpur, Siwan, Buxar, and Jamui. Five of these were in Jharkhand in Dumka, Hazaribagh, Palamu, Chaibasa, and Kodarma.”

He said the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) is being redeveloped into Asia’s second-largest hospital.

“The number of MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) seats has seen an increase of 125 per cent i.e. from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,15,412 while there has been an increase of 134 per cent in postgraduate (PG) seats from 31,185 before 2014 to 73,111,” added Nadda.

The health minister also released the souvenir and BJMF directory on the occasion.