Patna: The Bihar govt is considering operating 33 medical colleges and hospitals under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, including 17 greenfield and 16 brownfield institutions, as part of its efforts to expand healthcare services and medical education infrastructure across the state.
The proposal was discussed at a stakeholder meeting organised by the health department here on Wednesday. More than 80 institutions, investors and healthcare experts from Bihar and several other states, including Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh, attended the meeting.
Addressing the gathering, chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit said the state’s priority was to ensure access to quality healthcare services and that the govt was creating a conducive environment for investment in the health sector. He said improved infrastructure, transparent procedures, ease of doing business and a single-window clearance system were being put in place to attract private participation.
Health secretary Kumar Ravi said the govt was examining the possibility of operating newly approved medical colleges and hospitals in 17 districts under the PPP model. Around 20 to 25 acres of land would be provided in each district for the proposed institutions, he said.
Ravi said a transaction adviser would be appointed to provide technical guidance and support implementation of the project. Written suggestions have also been sought from stakeholders and will be examined before the framework is finalised. He added that the selection of institutions would be carried out through a transparent bidding process.
Participants at the meeting said the initiative could help expand access to medical education and healthcare services while generating employment opportunities in the state.
Senior officials of the health department, the State Health Society and Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (BMSICL) were also present at the meeting.
