ICU in all 38 Bihar districts in next six months: minister

In an effort to strengthen Bihar's health infrastructure, the government aims to setup fully equipped Intensive Care Units for distressed patients in all 38 districts in the next six months.
ICUs have already been built in 23 districts while in the rest 15, these would be established in the next six months, state Health Minister Ashwani Choubey said in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister said ICUs fitted with all the necessary equipment and which are employing trained doctors have already been made functional in Patna, Madhubani, Purnea and Katihar.
A sum of Rs 76.77 lakh has been provided to all the units for purchasing necessary equipments like Oxygen cylinders, needed to render immediate medical assistance to critical patients suffering from heart attack, he said.

In view of the shortage of heart specialists, the Medicine department was provided training to render emergency services to critical patients.
All the ICUs would have 4-6 beds to cater to emergency patients, he added.
Due to the efforts of the state government, the average number of patients visiting government hospitals per month has increased to 9,317 in 2011 from 3,077 in 2007. The bed occupancy rate has also increased from 22.6 per cent in 2009-10 to 77.1 per cent in 2011-12.