Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar on Tuesday, 23 June visited Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in Patna, inaugurating the newly set-up Radiology Department on the first floor of Tower-3 — part of the hospital's ongoing large-scale redevelopment — and conducting a wide-ranging review of patient care services and infrastructure.

What the Inauguration Covers

The radiology unit, housed in the newly constructed Tower-3, adds diagnostic capacity to one of Bihar's largest government hospitals. Senior officials from the Health Department and hospital administration were present at the ceremony. Following the inauguration, the minister walked through several departments, reviewing newly installed medical equipment and diagnostic facilities firsthand.

Minister's Directives to Hospital Officials

Kumar directed hospital officials to immediately flag any problems or deficiencies rather than let them fester. He emphasised that delivering quality treatment and better healthcare to patients is the government's highest priority, and warned that negligence at any level would not be tolerated. He also instructed officials to complete all pending construction and modernisation projects within prescribed timelines without compromising quality standards.

Patients Raise Concerns on the Ground

While leaving the hospital premises, the minister interacted directly with patients and their attendants to gauge on-the-ground concerns. During this interaction, one individual reportedly raised a complaint about nursing services. Kumar immediately sought an explanation from the nursing staff concerned — a signal, observers note, of the administration's intent to act on complaints in real time rather than defer them.

Context: A Hospital Under Transformation

PMCH is currently undergoing a major redevelopment and infrastructure expansion projected to scale capacity to more than 5,500 beds. The minister had earlier acknowledged receiving repeated complaints about conditions and services at the hospital after assuming charge of the Health Department, describing them as serious. He had indicated that corrective measures — including surprise inspections and regular monitoring — would be put in place. Tuesday's visit is being viewed as a direct follow-through on those commitments, part of a broader accountability push at the institution.

What Comes Next

With the redevelopment still ongoing, the focus will be on whether construction timelines are met and whether the new radiology and diagnostic facilities translate into measurable improvements in patient outcomes. The minister's public interaction with patients and on-the-spot questioning of nursing staff suggests closer executive scrutiny of PMCH is likely to continue.