Nitish Kumar launches '109 free medicine vehicles' in Patna

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched '109 free medicine vehicles' on Thursday as part of the 'Swasth Bihar Mission'. The scheme, launched from the Chief Minister's official residence, aims to enhance healthcare services in the state. With the launch of medicine vehicles, villagers will get drugs free of cost, reducing the financial burden on rural populations and promoting equitable healthcare.The medicine vehicles will operate at the block and Panchayat levels. All vehicles are equipped with GPS tracking systems, and a centralised control room in Patna will monitor their movement and ensure accountability. This initiative reflects the Bihar government's commitment to strengthening the state's healthcare infrastructure. By focusing on rural and remote areas, the programme aims to ensure the timely availability of medicines, reduce healthcare disparities between urban and rural regions, and enhance transparency and efficiency in service delivery through GPS-enabled tracking. The 'Swasth Bihar Mission' is poised to make a significant impact on the state's healthcare outcomes, improving the quality of life for its rural population and setting an example for other states to follow.

"These vehicles will deliver medical services to villagers in remote areas who cannot access primary or common health centres. These vehicles aim to address the healthcare needs of underserved populations," said Bihar Development Commissioner Pratyay Amrit. The state government has taken several initiatives, including the upgradation of medical colleges and Sadar hospitals, and the expansion and functionality of primary, common, and sub-divisional health centres in the state. Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, and Water Resource Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, attended the event. Deputy Chief Minister Sinha, in a post on social media platform X, said that he flagged off free medicine and healthcare vehicles with Chief Minister Nitish, Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary and state Health Minister Mangal Pandey.