New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS): Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that the infant mortality rate in Bihar came down from 42 to 27 in 2020, and in Jharkhand, from 34 to 25 in 2020, due to the Central government’s efforts in transforming the health landscape of the country.

Highlighting the strides made on the front of mother and child health in the country, the minister said that "institutional deliveries increased from 78.9 per cent to 88.6 per cent in first five years of the PM Narendra Modi government".

"The infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined in the country. IMR in India was 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020. In Bihar, it came down from 42 to 27 in 2020, and in Jharkhand, from 34 to 25 in 2020. The under-five mortality rate was 32 per 1,000 live births in India in 2020. In Bihar, it came down from 53 to 30 in 2020 and from 44 to 27 in 2020, in Jharkhand," he said in his address at an event here.

Out of 1.73 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in India, 10,716 are in Bihar with a footfall of 8.35 crore and 4.36 crore non-communicable disease (NCD) screenings. A total of 3,825 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Jharkhand have a footfall of 2.33 crore and 2.12 crore NCD screenings, said the minister during the 'Medicine Update BJMFCON 2024’, organised by the Bihar and Jharkhand Medical Forum (BJMF).

"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is taking steps to ensure high quality and affordable healthcare facilities to all," he said.

The government "is committed to implementing a comprehensive health policy that provides holistic, inclusive, preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative care to all", he added.

On the medical colleges front, the minister said that from 387 before 2014 to 766 now, there has been an increase of 98 per cent in the number of medical colleges.

"About 157 district hospitals were converted to medical colleges out of which eight were in Bihar and five in Jharkhand," the minister informed.

He said that "the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) is being redeveloped into Asia’s second-largest hospital".

“The number of MBBS seats has seen an increase of 125 per cent - from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,15,412 now. There has been an increase of 134 per cent in postgraduate (PG) seats from 31,185 before 2014 to 73,111,” the minister noted.