Bihar government seeks UK-settled doctors' help to improve healthcare

PATNA: Aiming at strengthening medicare system in the state, the Bihar government would set up a body comprising medical experts of Bihar-origin settled in the UK, who would suggest ways to improve health centres in the state.

"The Bihar Health Foundation (BHF) would soon be set up by the health department to strengthen medicare system in the state," Bihar health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said.

The foundation comprising top health department officials and some medical experts of Bihar-origin settled in the UK would closely study the needs of the health centres and provide suggestions for their improvement, he said.

"BHF would provide a platform to such experts to provide their expertise to the ailing masses of Bihar. It would be headed by health minister," he said.

Choubey said the department would also launch a website of the foundation through which ideas could be exchanged among doctors of Bihar-origin settled across the world.

He said the department also has plans to use the system of telemedicine for getting expert opinion from doctors practicing in UK and other parts of the world.

"A five-member team of doctors from UK would visit our major health centres in October and provide suggestions for their development, particularly in general practice," he said.