Doctors flag gaps in Telangana health budget 2026-27

Doctors and medical bodies expressed concern over gaps in the Telangana Health Budget 2026-27, highlighting the omission of Osmania General Hospital, lack of recruitment plans, and absence of dedicated funding for infection control and antimicrobial resistance.

Hyderabad: In a measured response to the Telangana State Health Budget for 2026-27, totalling Rs 13,679 crore, the medical community on Friday hoped that, in the long run, the State government will address significant financial and administrative gaps.

Professional bodies across the healthcare spectrum warned that there is an urgent need for human resource recruitment, stability and specialised safety funding.

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A primary point of contention has been the total absence of any mention regarding the new building for Osmania General Hospital (OGH). While the budget explicitly details the expansion of NIMS and the completion of TIMS hospitals at Sanathnagar, LB Nagar and Alwal, the silence on OGH, a long-standing demand of the medical community, remains a glaring omission, doctors felt.

Dr Ranga Reddy Burri raised the issue of the absence of a dedicated Rs 500 crore allocation for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), requested under the banner of Infection Control Academy of India (IFCA).

Further concerns were raised by the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) regarding the ‘human element’ of the budget. They pointed out that the rapid addition of 6,582 tertiary care beds by 2026 is not being matched by a proportional recruitment plan, leading to severe doctor burnout and excessive working hours.

T-JUDA specifically flagged persistent implementation gaps and the need for a ‘balanced approach’ that prioritises the welfare of healthcare workers through timely stipend disbursements and regulated duty hours.

Medical experts noted that while the State has exceeded bed-to-population norms, true healthcare resilience is impossible without addressing the shortage of specialist doctors.