In a significant move to bolster traditional healthcare infrastructure, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey announced on Monday that construction of 50-bed Ayush hospitals will commence in seven districts during the financial year 2026-27. This initiative marks a major expansion of Ayurveda and other Ayush services across the state, particularly targeting regions beyond the capital city.
Strategic District Selection for Enhanced Access
The seven districts identified for the new Ayush hospital facilities are Begusarai, Darbhanga, Motihari, Gopalganj, Gaya, Madhubani, and Siwan. This strategic selection aims to improve accessibility to traditional medicine treatments for patients residing outside Patna, addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring more equitable distribution of Ayush services throughout Bihar.
Announcement During Public Health Workshop
Minister Pandey made this announcement while inaugurating a four-day workshop under the Public Health Programme in Patna. The workshop brought together practitioners from Ayurveda, homeopathy, and unani systems for comprehensive capacity-building sessions designed to enhance their clinical skills and service delivery capabilities.
Minister Emphasizes Practical Training Objectives
"The purpose of training is not just formality, but to make participants more skilled, sensitive and result-oriented," Pandey emphasized during his address. He urged participants to engage in continuous learning and share field experiences that could strengthen service delivery mechanisms and inform future policy decisions regarding traditional medicine implementation.
Comprehensive Workshop Curriculum
The workshop training covered diverse clinical themes essential for modern Ayush practice, including osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal disorder management, Supraja protocols, Mobile Medical Unit operations, Vayomitra applications, Ayurvidya principles, and filariasis treatment approaches. Expert-led sessions focused on aligning practitioners with current public health priorities while improving standardized care practices across different Ayush disciplines.
State's Accelerated Ayush Promotion
Pandey highlighted that Bihar is accelerating Ayush promotion in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. He noted that 294 health and wellness centers are currently operational across Bihar, providing Ayush-based interventions for common health problems. The minister also advocated for including registered non-governmental organizations in future training initiatives to help extend innovations and treatment awareness to underserved communities.
Post-Pandemic Confidence in Ayurveda
Referring to evolving public attitudes toward traditional medicine, the minister observed that confidence in Ayurveda has significantly grown both in India and internationally following the COVID-19 pandemic. This increased trust has created favorable conditions for expanding Ayush infrastructure and services across Bihar's healthcare landscape.
Phased Implementation Plan
The workshop's learning outcomes will be extended through additional training phases over the next fifteen days, followed by district and block-level training sessions and medical camps. This cascading approach aims to ensure that workshop benefits permeate to grassroots levels, creating sustainable improvements in Ayush service delivery across Bihar's healthcare system.
Official Endorsement and Participation
Health Department Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh encouraged participants to apply their training with honesty and rigor during the workshop's concluding session. The event attracted 114 participants, with senior officials including State Programme Officer Dr. Dhananjay Sharma and State Ayush Committee Executive Director Vaibhav Chaudhary also present, demonstrating administrative commitment to traditional medicine advancement in Bihar.
