Muzaffarpur's SKMCH to be upgraded into a 2,500-bed hospital, says Bihar CM

PATNA: The Muzaffarpur-based state-run Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), which is in the news these days because of the deaths of several children due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), will be upgraded into a 2,500-bed hospital in next two years. The hospital currently has 610 beds.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday asked the state’s principal secretary (health) Sanjay Kumar to make arrangements of at least 1,500 beds in the hospital a year as part of the first phase of upgradation.
CM gave this direction to health department officials after visiting the SKMCH where he talked to the parents and attendants of affected children, doctors and the college principal and tried to know about the reasons behind the occurrence of the AES almost every year in certain parts of north Bihar, especially three to four blocks of Muzaffarpur district.
Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, chief secretary Deepak Kumar and principal secretary (health) Sanjay Kumar accompanied the CM during his visit to the SKMCH.
“CM also asked the health officials to establish a 100-bed special paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) at the SKMCH in next one year to deal with the children-related diseases,” chief secretary Deepak Kumar told media persons in Patna while briefing about the CM’s visit to the SKMCH.
He said, the SKMCH currently has a 50-bed paediatric ICU, it would now be upgraded into a 100-bed ICU as per the CM’s instruction.
Chief secretary further said, the CM also instructed for building a big dharamshala (rest house) near the SKMCH so that the poor parents and attendants visiting the hospital do no face problem of accommodation.
Accompanied by the principal secretary (health), chief secretary said all the instructions given by the CM would be completed within the stipulated period.
“CM also instructed for deputing more paediatric doctors at the SKMCH to assist the existing doctors,” the chief secretary said, adding as per the instructions more doctors from the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) were being rushed to the SKMCH.
Sanjay said, at present altogether 31 paediatricians are working at the the SKMCH. Eight more paediatricians from other hospitals would be reporting the SKMCH by Tuesday night.
Chief secretary also claimed that the CM and the deputy CM visited almost all beds where AES-affected children are getting treatment. They talked to the parents and attendants of almost all AES-affected children, but not a single parent complaint about any sort of mismanagement or negligence on the part of the doctors at the SKMCH. All parents expressed their satisfaction on the arrangements at the SKMCH.
Chief secretary also said the free ambulance service was being provided to the AES-affected children. “If any parent of AES-affected child reaches the hospital by hiring vehicle by own, the state government has decided to reimburse Rs 400 per patient at a flat rate in the name of hiring ambulance or vehicle,” he said.