Bihar demands appointment of over 2,000 specialists as facilities remain non-functional

Patna: The recent Bihar budget session has once again highlighted the serious gap between healthcare infrastructure and actual service delivery across the state. While government hospitals, PHCs, and CHCs may have buildings in place, many continue to function without adequate doctors, specialists, or diagnostic staff, which directly affects patient care and referral load in higher centres.

During the session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, acute shortages of doctors emerged as one of the most pressing public concerns raised by MLAs. Lawmakers across party lines repeatedly flagged vacant posts, non-functional facilities, and the absence of specialists in several districts.

According to a report by Patna Press, the findings are based on an analysis of more than 3,800 questions raised across 49 departments over 19 days of proceedings. Of the 387 questions directed specifically at the health department, nearly 38 per cent focused on the urgent need for doctors.

The session stated that while hospitals, PHCs, and CHCs have been constructed in multiple blocks, many remain non-operational due to a lack of medical personnel. MLAs stated that there are no paediatricians, gynaecologists, or other specialists in many government facilities. In several centres, even diagnostic equipment such as X-ray and ultrasound machines remains unused due to the absence of technicians.

There was a collective demand for the immediate appointment of more than 2,000 doctors, around 65 per cent of them specialists. Paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, and physicians were raised, especially in districts such as Motihari, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, and Gaya. Additionally, 34 questions sought the opening of 41 new health sub-centres, with the highest demand coming from Motihari, Bettiah, and Araria.

Earlier, Bihar’s youngest MLAs, Maithili Thakur, showed dissatisfaction during the budget session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. She directly asked the Health Minister in the House to personally visit the hospital and assess the reality on the ground, reported Bhaskar English.

Noting her disappointment, she said, “I am not completely satisfied with the answer. The reply says the building is not dilapidated and only needs repair. I want the minister to inspect it again. I have seen it myself; the building is in poor condition. Healthcare services are being run from a small room. There are no MBBS doctors. Doctors are needed there.’

On several occasions, MLAs from the ruling alliance have sharply questioned their own government, appearing to assume a role usually associated with the opposition.