Harish Rao showcases Telangana strides in healthcare

Hyderabad: Health Minister T Harish Rao on Sunday said that Telangana has made substantial progress in the national health sector rankings moving from the 11th position to the top 3 in the country.

The Minister participated in a programme organised by the Indian Medical Association here on Sunday. The event was aimed to honouring dedicated healthcare professionals and celebrate their significant contributions to society. Expressing his heartfelt appreciation, the Minister said that the noble nature of the medical profession, comparing doctors' role to that of soldiers safeguarding the country and farmers providing sustenance. The minister acknowledged the pivotal role played by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, saving countless lives, and protecting the world. He praised their selfless service and highlighted the collective recognition of the importance of medical professionals.

The minister highlighted several initiatives taken up by government including improvements in disease prevention through urban and rural development programmes such as Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya, which ensured access to clean water and healthier crops. He said that Telangana leads in increasing green cover and has witnessed a reduction in disease prevalence. He also shared details such as Telangana Diagnostic labs are conducting 134 diagnostic tests. Establishment of 500 Basti Dawakhanas, the Kalyana Lakshmi initiative successfully curbed child marriages, the KCR kit significantly increased deliveries in government hospitals by 30 to 70 per cent, and Telangana stands as the only State with 100 per cent institutional deliveries.

Regarding infrastructure, he highlighted the significant expansion of healthcare facilities in the State. Telangana has witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of dialysis centres, from 3 to 102. Additionally, the government is in the process of setting up 50,000 beds to tackle emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These include 10,000 ICU beds, 10,000 super specialty beds, and a substantial increase in medical college capacity. Telangana now boasts 56 medical colleges, compared to the initial count of 20, with an increase from 2,850 to 8,340 MBBS seats. The government has also recruited 1,161 assistant professors in government hospitals to enhance the quality of healthcare services.