On the second day of the Bihar Legislative Assembly's budget session, the state government presented its budget for the financial year 2026-27. Finance Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, while presenting the budget, announced improvements in the health sector, which was welcomed by the members present in the House with thumping of desks.

The state government is improving health services in mission mode to reduce maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. According to the SRS 2023 data, as a result, the maternal mortality rate in the state has decreased to 104, infant mortality rate is 23, neonatal mortality (birth to 28 days) is 18, and under-five mortality rate is 27, all of which are better than the national average.

Under the "Accessible Health - Safe Life" scheme of the 7 Nischay 3, efforts are being made to develop community health centers operating at the block level into specialized medical centers. Specialist doctors are being appointed to provide standard treatment to patients with orthopedics, ophthalmology, and ear, nose, and throat. The process of converting district hospitals into super specialty medical centers is also underway.

In the first phase of upgrading Patna Medical College and Hospital to a world-class hospital, work on two towers with 1,100 beds has been started. Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital is being rebuilt at a cost of Rs 2,546.41 crore. Government medical colleges and hospitals have been constructed and dedicated to the public in five districts of the state: Purnia, Bettiah, Samastipur, Madhepura, and Saran (Chhapra). Construction is underway in 10 districts: Madhubani, Vaishali, Siwan, Jamui, Bhojpur, Buxar, Begusarai, Supaul, Munger, and Sitamarhi.

Treatment for head, neck, and throat cancer patients has been started at a newly constructed 100-bed hospital in Gangwara, Darbhanga. A 100-bed hospital for stroke care is being built in Muzaffarpur, which will provide facilities for high-grade cancer patients. To promote the indigenous system of medicine, the government is constructing an Ayurvedic college in Darbhanga and Begusarai, a Homeopathic college in Muzaffarpur, and a Tibbi college in Patna at a cost of Rs 803.89 crore.

The Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in Rajvanshi Nagar, Patna, is in the final stages of being upgraded to a 400-bed super specialty hospital at a cost of Rs 215 crore. To improve health education, a new, modern building is being constructed for the Bihar University of Health Sciences in Mithapur, Patna.

To provide specialized eye care to the general public in the state, the construction of a super specialty eye hospital is underway in Kankarbagh, Patna, under a public-private partnership with the Shankara Eye Foundation, India, Coimbatore. Upon completion, it will provide free treatment to poor eye patients.

So far, under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Ayushman cards have been issued to approximately 4.12 crore beneficiaries out of about 1.69 crore families. Under the "Child Heart Scheme", children are being successfully treated at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology, Patna, and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna. A total of 2705 successful operations have been performed so far.

Efforts are being made to ensure the availability of medicines in health institutions as per the desired list. About 100 types of medicines are available in Ayushman Arogya Kendras, and more than 350 types of medicines are available in sadar hospitals. As a result of this effort, Bihar has maintained its top position in the supply and distribution of medicines on the central dashboard of the Government of India since September 2024.

The health department got this in the previous budget
In the budget for the year 2025, the Bihar government had given top priority to the health sector. The state government had transferred 187.44 acres of land for the construction of AIIMS Darbhanga, which strengthened this important project. Additionally, under the plan to open additional primary health centers in each assembly constituency, a grant of Rs 258.70 crore was approved for a total of 199 centers.

The government approved sub-divisional hospitals in 19 non-cord sub-divisions, out of which construction work has been completed in 13. Approval was given to make 25 headquarter hospitals into model hospitals, out of which construction work has also been completed in 13. Additionally, 22 maternity and child hospitals were approved, out of which construction work has been completed in 18 districts, including Bhagalpur and Patna.

As part of the expansion of cancer care facilities, chemotherapy facilities were opened in Purnia, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Bhagalpur. Besides, a 100-bed hospital for head, neck, and throat cancer patients was completed in Gangwara, Darbhanga.