Ahead of PM Modi’s Purnea rally, Tejashwi paints grim picture of healthcare in Bihar

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Purnea on Monday, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has sharply criticised the state’s NDA government for the deteriorating public healthcare system, pointing to the dismal condition of the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Purnea.

Taking a dig at the PM’s visit, the RJD leader said that Modi is coming only to “shower the people with empty promises (jumlas).”

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“Tomorrow, PM Modi will come to Purnea, showering ‘jumlas’. Will he also address the glaring failures of the NDA’s 20-year rule in Bihar and the 11-year rule at the Centre?” he asked.

Targeting the NDA, Tejashwi said, “They never talk about real issues. They won’t speak about Bihar’s development or the problems of the poor. Education, healthcare, employment, and irrigation are not on their agenda.”

Tejashwi said he made a surprise visit to the GMCH Purnea late Saturday night to assess the state of the facilities and shared a video of the visit with the public. He claimed there is “no sign of development anywhere.”

He added, “Modi ji, please visit the Purnea Medical College tomorrow, and take along the Chief Minister, who has been in power since 2005 — otherwise, he’ll say, ‘There was nothing before 2005’.”

Accusing the NDA government of corruption and mismanagement, Tejashwi alleged that ministers and officials spend thousands of crores on building construction just to earn commissions, but fail to hire doctors, nurses, lab technicians, dressers, or assistants.

“They buy medical equipment worth crores, but do not recruit technicians to operate them,” he added.

He pointed out that out of 255 approved nursing positions at GMCH Purnea, only 55 nurses are currently working, across three shifts, meaning barely 18 nurses are on duty at any given time, fewer if someone is on leave.

“About 80% of the doctor posts are vacant at GMCH Purnea. There isn’t a single permanent dresser (medical assistant), and the entire medical college and hospital has only four OT assistants,” he said.

Tejashwi further claimed that many of the 23 departments at the college are non-functional, with professors and assistant professors present only in name. He also noted that medical interns haven’t received salaries for the past six months.

“Due to the shortage of doctors, staff, medical equipment, and basic facilities at the GMCH, Purnea, nearly 10,000 patients are forced to seek treatment in private hospitals in Purnea every day,” he said.