KCR strengthened health sector, claims Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Alleging that the previous Congress government had completely neglected the health sector of the State during its rule, Health Minister T Harish Rao on Friday said Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had strengthened the health sector in just six years what the Congress government could not do in the last 60 years.

Stating that the State had only three medical colleges at the time of formation of Telangana State, Harish Rao said they have established eight medical colleges in just one year. He also said they had increased the total number of MBBS seats from 850 in undivided Andhra Pradesh to 2,790 seats after the formation of Telangana State.

Replying to questions raised by the MLAs in the Assembly during the ongoing budget session, the minister said while the undivided Karimnagar district got four medical colleges, the undivided Warangal district got five medical colleges. He said they had established medical colleges in Mahbubnagar, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts also. He also said they were also establishing the medical colleges in Assembly constituencies represented by the Opposition MLAs like Sangareddy and Mulugu.

Targeting the BJP government at the Centre, Harish Rao said the Centre, which had established 150 medical colleges across the country, had not established even a single medical college in Telangana State. Stating that the Centre had sanctioned AIIMS to the State, he alleged that the institute did not have any kind of basic amenities and added that there was no OP, IP and surgery facilities at AIIMS.

He said they had allowed the medical students of AIIMS to undergo practical training at Bhongir district hospital by keeping their future in mind. He said the total number of medical seats had gone up by three times after they came into power. He said the CM had decided to establish one medical college in every district of the State and added that they were also establishing nursing and paramedical college in every district while noting that they are introducing several courses in the paramedical colleges.

Harish Rao said they were taking steps for the installation of CC TV cameras and biometric facilities in all the government hospitals. He also said they were using air samplers, which are being used in private corporate hospitals, in all the government hospitals. He told the House that they would fill 1,457 vacant posts of assistant professors in all the medical colleges within a month.

He said they were sanctioning a medical college to Medak district this year. He also said they were establishing village and basthi hospitals in all the areas, wherever they are required.