Government hospitals first choice for poor in Telangana

In 2022, a total of nearly 17 lakh patients from Telangana availed inpatient facilities compared to 14 lakh in 2021 in government hospitals

Hyderabad: Consistent attempts at modernising medical infrastructure, decentralising primary healthcare through Basthi and Palle Dawakhanas and improving bed-side facilities for patients in government hospitals appear to have become a major draw, as walk-ins at outpatient, inpatient wards and the number of surgeries taken up in the government hospitals across Telangana has reached an all-time high.

Instead of drowning themselves in a financial mess by taking hand loans from dubious private lenders, just to afford healthcare services at middle and upper-level nursing homes, clinics and 20 to 35-bed private hospitals, in the last 18 months or so, government hospitals are fast becoming the first choice for poor in Telangana.

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This year, all the government hospitals have recorded a significant jump in conducting major and minor surgeries. Public healthcare facilities in Telangana have also recorded a significant rise in patient walk-ins in the inpatient and outpatient departments at all levels of the healthcare system. In 2022, a total of nearly 17 lakh patients from Telangana availed inpatient facilities compared to 14 lakh in 2021 in government hospitals.

Similarly, the patient inflow in OP departments in 2022 skyrocketed to 4.9 crore compared to 4.23 crore in 2021. The major and minor surgeries combined, taken up at government hospitals in 2022 were at a record 3.04 lakh while in 2021 it was around 2.5 lakh.

The percentage of pregnant women preferring government hospitals has also increased and at present stands between 60 per cent and 63 per cent. Earlier, the percentage of pregnant women availing healthcare facilities in government hospitals used to be between 35 per cent and 40 per cent. Senior public health officials are closely involved in tracking such developments point out that the State government’s consistent attempts at ensuring proper allocation of funds to the health sector played a big role in the rising number of patient inflow.

The per capita allocation of funds in the healthcare sector is Rs 3,532, which is the third highest in the country and this year a staggering Rs 12,364 crore was allocated to the health sector in the Budget.