10,000 crore for strengthening of health infra: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is determined to strengthen the public health infrastructure in the State, for which Rs 10,000 crore would be spent in the coming days, Health Minister T Harish Rao said here on Saturday. Inaugurating the upgraded 100-bed ICU ward at Niloufer Hospital, Harish Rao said the Chief Minister had taken […]

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is determined to strengthen the public health infrastructure in the State, for which Rs 10,000 crore would be spent in the coming days, Health Minister T Harish Rao said here on Saturday.

Inaugurating the upgraded 100-bed ICU ward at Niloufer Hospital, Harish Rao said the Chief Minister had taken the key decision on improving health infrastructure in the State and to ensure best of the services and facilities on par with corporate hospitals. “For this purpose, Rs10,000 crore will be earmarked and with improved services, the people’s faith in government medicare facilities will grow,” said the Minister, who recently took over the health portfolio.

800 more beds
Harish said another 800 beds would be provided at Niloufer Hospital and doctors and other staff for this would be recruited soon. He lauded the Hyderabad Software Entrepreneurs’ Association (HYSEA) for providing Rs 18 crore under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to improve infrastructure in government-run hospitals in the State.

Medical towers
The Minister also pointed out that the Chief Minister had come up with plans for the construction of four medical towers in four directions of the city to provide the best healthcare facilities to the poor. The government was also working with the aim to have a medical college in every district, Harish Rao said, adding that when Telangana was formed, there were only five government medical colleges. This number had now gone up to 21. Nine more government hospitals would be functional from next year.

The Minister also held a video conference with District Collectors, Medical and Health officials and reviewed vaccination and other activities. He directed officials to set targets at habitation, village, mandal level to ensure Telangana achieves 100 per cent Covid-19 vaccination as desired by the Chief Minister. Harish Rao wanted a weekly review of the vaccination status and added that 85 per cent of those eligible for vaccination had taken the first dose.

“Efforts should be made to vaccinate the entire eligible population at the earliest,” he said, instructing district Collectors and health officials to ensure completion of works by December for eight medical college buildings for which approvals were given by the government.

Following the Chief Minister’s initiative, basic facilities and advanced equipment were provided in government hospitals and to make the best use of them, district officials were empowered to recruit doctors and staff, he said. Through Arogyasri, 946 different medicare services were being offered free at government and private hospitals and 646 medical services were added in government hospitals under Ayushman Bharat.

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