Bihar to provide Free of cost Treatment to Patients

Current Context: The state government of Bihar has decided to provide free of cost treatment to the patients in state’s premier medical institution IGIMS Patna. This decision was taken in the meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

• The patients enrolled for treatment will not be charged for medicines, surgery, pathological and other tests and bed charge for admission in general wards.
• The patients are, however, required to pay for the registration charge and bed charges for admission in private and deluxe wards.
• The state government will bear all the expenses incurred by the IGIMS in lieu of providing free of cost treatment to the patients. The new arrangement will come into effect after it is notified in the state gazette.
• The decision for providing free medical service at IGIMS will cost an additional burden of 60 crore rupees on the state exchequer annually. However, it will also benefit poor patients, who can now avail free services for medicines, surgery, medical tests and other pathological tests.

Question:

Q.1 Which state government has decided to provide free of cost treatment to the patients in state’s premier medical institution IGIMS Patna?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Bihar
c. Jharkhand
d. West Bengal