The Telangana state government has allocated a whooping Rs. 7,375 crore for the first time in the history of the state. With this the state government is planning to breath in new life into the public healthcare system of the state and is devising a comprehensive plan for effective delivery of healthcare services in the government hospitals.

“With the neglect attitude of earlier government’s towards the public healthcare people lost their faith in government hospitals. However we want to reverse this trend and have allocated a major chuck of budget for rejuvenating this sector and had allocated Rs.7,375 crore in the budget for the year 2018-19,” said Finance Minister Etala Rajender.

For improving the healthcare system in the state, the state government is adopting multipronged approach. On one hand the government has recognised the urgent need to improve facilities at all government hospitals right from the primary health centres to super specialty hospitals. And while on the other the state government is also focusing on the long term goals of preventive healthcare initiatives. As part of this the state government is planning to set up ‘Free Diagnostic Centres’ at all the major district hospitals and teaching hospitals across the state and facilitate conduct of free medical tests to all people for prevention of diseases.

In addition to conducting of free disease diagnosis for the public, the state government is also planning to conduct eye check up tests at all the hospitals free of cost and would also provide spectacles free of costs to the needy people.

While enumerating on the various steps taken for improving the healthcare sector in Telangana, Health Minister Dr C Laxma Reddy said, “So far the state government had taken up remarkable initiatives to bring a sea change in the landscape of government healthcare sector. We have not only focused on improving the structural infrastructure of government hospitals but also enhanced our focus on upgrading the existing medical equipment infrastructure on par with super speciality hospitals and ensured that all vacant posts of doctors and other medical staff are filled. We have set up 34 dialysis centres, 22 ICUs and allocated Rs.561 crore for the special ‘Ammavodi Scheme’ and launched 250 vehicles exclusively for catering to the transportation of pregnant women. So far we have distributed 1.78 lakh KCR kits and extending financial assistance of Rs.12,000 to each pregnant women. All this has resulted in positive change with increased institutional deliveries from just 8 per cent to more than 50 per cent in government hospitals. The infant mortality rate has also decreased from 39 to 31 per every 1,000 deliveries.”