Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Bihar’s Darbhanga and said that his government is working with a holistic approach to healthcare in the country from prevention of disease to its cure.
Addressing a public gathering in Darbhanga after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating various development works of around Rs 12,100 crores, PM Modi listed the government’s focus on healthcare in the country.
“Our government is working with a holistic approach to healthcare in the country. Our first 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 towns. The fifth focus is to expand the use of technology in healthcare services,” he said.
PM Modi also asserted that his government has always been committed to the service of the nation and the welfare of the people.
“Today, a significant step has been taken to realize the dream of establishing an AIIMS in Darbhanga. The construction of AIIMS here will bring a significant transformation in the healthcare sector of Bihar. This facility will serve the people not only from Mithila, Kosi, and Tirhut regions but also from West Bengal and nearby areas. Even patients from Nepal will be able to receive treatment at this AIIMS hospital. The construction of AIIMS here will also create numerous new employment opportunities,” he said.
The Prime Minister, further targeted previous governments that, he said, remained entangled in promises and claims without any serious concern for the needs of the poor.
“In the past, the situation was very challenging. There were very few hospitals and doctors, and medicines were very expensive. Previous governments remained entangled 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 for addressing these issues,” the Prime Minister said.
He highlighted that most diseases if treated in time, can be prevented from becoming severe, but due to the high cost of diagnosis, people often remain unaware of their conditions.
“Therefore, we have established over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs across the country, which help in the early detection of diseases like cancer and diabetes. Through the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, over four crore poor patients have already received treatment. Without this scheme, many of them would not have been able to get admitted to hospitals,” he said.
“In the 60 years after independence, there was only one AIIMS in the country, located in Delhi. Everyone had to go to Delhi for treatment. During the Congress government’s tenure, the plan to establish 4-5 AIIMS was discussed, but proper treatment never really started in them. Our government has established new AIIMS in every corner of the country. Today, there are nearly two dozen AIIMS across the nation. In the past 10 years, the number of medical colleges has also doubled,” the Prime Minister added.
PM Modi also pointed out that in the last 10 years, they added one lakh new seats in medical education, and in the next five years, aim to add 75,000 more medical seats.
“Our government is now offering the option to study medicine in Hindi and other Indian languages, which will benefit the youth. The goal is to ensure that even children from poor, marginalized, and backward families can become doctors,” he said.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to renowned folk singer Sharda Sinha, popularly known as “kokila” who recently passed away.
“The way she has spread the significance of the grand festival of Chhath through her songs across the world is truly remarkable,” PM Modi said.
