IIM Study Finds Flaws in Health Care Facility of BIMARU States

"It is found that number of Community Health Centres per million people is relatively low in UP (3.87) and significantly low in Bihar (0.67) but is higher in MP (4.60) and almost double in Rajasthan (8.26) as compared to the national average (4.43)," said the study.

"It is also observed that all these states including Bihar (17.83), MP (7.53) and UP (3.91), except Rajasthan (61.19) are below the national average (20.74) in terms of total and rural government hospitals per million people," it said.

"The percentage of district hospitals having HIV test facility in MP (60.9 percent) and with ultra-sound facility in Bihar (17.6 percent) and MP (56.5 percent) are relatively lower," it said.

Moreover, except Rajasthan (84.4 percent), all the three states including Bihar (52.9 percent), MP (39.1 percent) and UP (58.3) have relatively lesser district hospitals with operational blood banks, it added.

The study also revealed poor health care facilities for new-borns in the BIMARU states.

"The percentage of CHCs with new born stabilization units are found to be significantly lower in Bihar (1.43 percent) and MP (17.4 percent) and CHCs with new born corners were found to be significantly lower in Bihar (31.4 percent) and relatively lower in Rajasthan (66.1 percent) and UP (74.3 percent) again as compared to the national average," it said.

Bihar (20.92 per million population) and UP (26.55 per million population), in terms of paramedical staff at all levels, and MP (14.78 per million population) in laboratory technicians and nurses (60.13 per million population) perform poorly as compared to the average of the nation (62.16 per million population) in government health care centres.

The acronym BIMARU was used by an eminent economist Ashish Bose in a report submitted to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 80s, stating poor performance of the four northern states affecting the growth of the country.

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