Warangal: Healthcare set to get a fillip

Warangal: Notwithstanding a more than threefold increase in the number of districts in the State, healthcare in new districts more or less remained unchanged. With all healthcare facilities polarised in Warangal and Hanumakonda, the people in other new districts continue to rely on Area hospitals that barely have infrastructural facilities. Against this backdrop, the National Health Mission (NHM), Government of India, has come to the rescue of four Area Hospitals in Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Narsampet and Mahabubabad of erstwhile Warangal by providing funds for equipment and civil works. Apart from these, the government was also providing funds for the up-gradation of five other Area hospitals spread across the State.

The development comes in the wake of a proposal submitted by the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare and Mission Director, NHM, Hyderabad, to the Central Government, explaining the necessity of upgrading nine Area hospitals with an estimated cost of Rs 491 crore. Following which the Centre had agreed to the proposal and sanctioned an amount of Rs 214 crore. The remaining amount will be proposed for sanction under NHM in the subsequent years.

As of now, the government had accorded administrative sanction for an amount of Rs 195 crore for the development of nine hospitals, excluding Mahabubabad Area hospital. The government accorded administrative sanction for a number of Rs 18.75 crore towards civil works for the Area hospital in Mahabubabad upgrading it to a medical college hospital. It may be mentioned here that the State government had sanctioned a medical college in Mahabubabad.According to Health and Family Welfare & Mission Director's proposals, Mahabubabad, Narsampet, Bhupalpally and Mulugu Area hospitals need Rs 217 crore for up-gradation. The funding needed for the civil works is Rs 177 crore and another Rs 40.34 crore for the procurement of medical equipment.

According to Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad officials, works will be taken up on a priority basis. All the four Area hospitals in erstwhile Warangal would be developed phase-wise. The number of beds in all four hospitals will be increased to 500. New blocks will be constructed besides procuring medical equipment, the officials said.