"Bihar's healthcare infrastructure is in state of apathy": Congress' Pawan Khera

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday cited a Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report and claimed that Bihar's healthcare infrastructure is in a state of apathy.
In a post on X, Khera said, "There were 49% vacancies across key health departments. Bihar had only 58,144 allopathic doctors against the required 1,24,919 as per WHO norms. Recruitment for 13,340 healthcare posts remained pending."
The Congress leader claimed that basic amenities were lacking in Outpatient Department (OPD) areas, and emergency Operation Theatres (OTs) were unavailable in all test-checked Sub-Divisional Hospitals (SDHs).
"Diagnostic services were absent in 19%-100% of facilities, and shortages of laboratory technicians reached up to 100%," he said.
"Only 14%-63% of essential drugs were procured, leading to shortages in OPD and Inpatient Department (IPD) services. Medical colleges faced drug shortages of 45%-68%. Equipment shortages ranged from 25%-100%, with only 54% of ventilators functional," Pawan Khera claimed.
He further claimed that there was a shortage of healthcare facilities at all levels, with 47 sub-divisions lacking SDHs.
"Out of 399 sanctioned Community Health Centers (CHCs), only 191 were constructed. Additionally, 44% of Primary Health Centers (PHCs) were not operational 24x7, and many lacked essential facilities," Khera said.
Pawan Khera also mentioned that only 69% of the allocated Rs 69,790.83 crore budget was spent, leaving Rs 21,743.04 crore unutilized.
"Healthcare spending was only 1.33%-1.73% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), far below the required 2.5%," he said.
"With elections approaching, the BJP will try to present lies wrapped in a gift box, but the people must not lose sight of reality!" the Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, praising the efforts of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "strengthen the Congress and the INDIA alliance," former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and party leader Harish Rawat backed the former's remarks of certain Congress members being "hand in glove with the BJP."
The remarks by Gandhi were made while addressing party workers in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 9, where he called for multiple Congress leaders and workers being removed who are in support of BJP while still being within the party's fold.
"Rahul Gandhi is our leader and he is taking steps to strengthen the Congress and the alliance. He wants the party to stay strong against every opportunity. His steps should be welcomed...People (who are in Congress working for the BJP) must be identified... such people are not needed in the party," Rawat told ANI. (ANI)