The Bihar Health Department has directed all district hospitals to assess the availability of equipment in obstetrics and gynaecology operation theatres and Labour, Delivery and Recovery (LDR) complexes to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare services. The initiative aims to identify equipment shortages, ensure timely procurement, and improve the quality of maternity care across government health facilities.
District Hospitals Asked to Assess Equipment Availability
Civil surgeons and hospital administrators have been instructed to review the availability of medical equipment against the benchmarks prescribed under the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS).
Hospitals have been asked to identify equipment gaps and submit procurement requests for urgently required items to ensure uninterrupted delivery and surgical services.
Procurement to Be Processed Through EMMS–e-Upkaran Portal
The State Health Society has directed that all procurement requests be submitted through the Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited’s online portal, EMMS–e-Upkaran.
According to the department, routing all requests through the portal is expected to streamline procurement, strengthen supply chain management, and prevent last-minute shortages of essential medical equipment.
Focus on Essential Maternal Healthcare Equipment
The audit covers critical equipment used in obstetric and gynaecological care, including operation tables, anaesthesia workstations, electrical suction machines, flash autoclaves, 12-channel ECG machines, and foetal dopplers.
Each district hospital has been instructed to prepare a detailed inventory of available equipment, identify deficiencies, and complete the exercise within the prescribed timeline.
Initiative Aims to Improve Maternal and Newborn Care
Health Minister Nishant Kumar said the initiative forms part of the state’s broader efforts to promote safe motherhood and strengthen maternal healthcare services.
He stated that better-equipped government hospitals would improve the quality of delivery services, reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, strengthen obstetric and gynaecological care, and minimise the need for referring patients to higher healthcare centres.
The Health Department expects the initiative to ensure more reliable and high-quality maternity care for pregnant women across Bihar through improved infrastructure and equipment availability.
Important Highlights
- Bihar has directed district hospitals to audit equipment in obstetrics and gynaecology operation theatres and LDR complexes.
- Hospitals must assess equipment availability as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) and identify deficiencies.
- Procurement requests will be processed through the EMMS–e-Upkaran portal to streamline supply and prevent shortages.
- The audit includes essential equipment such as operation tables, anaesthesia workstations, ECG machines, and foetal dopplers.
- The initiative aims to improve maternal and newborn care, promote safe motherhood, and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
