Hyderabad: Health Minister T Harish Rao Apart from tackling the third wave of COVID-19, the State Government has set specific targets for augmenting the medical infrastructure in the State. He tells Sribala Wadlapatla that the next 18 months will see a big change in the medical college, seats, hospital beds etc. Excerpts:
Why is the Covid-19 test so low in the state? Why weren’t the restrictions tightened further?
It is wrong to say that we do less number of tests daily. We run around 35,000 tests even though the caseload is not around 200 per day. When the caseload is low, the number of first and second contacts will be limited. We are trying to balance the situation in the state. We are already facing criticism that we are fining and charging people for not wearing masks.
What are the preparations for the next wave? There are concerns that cases and deaths were underreported during the second wave.
We are expecting a spike in February. We are reporting the cases properly. At the same time, we should avoid creating unnecessary fear among people. Right now we are ready to face the third wave. If it does and as global data indicates the current Omicron version is not as dangerous as the delta version. From hospital beds to medicines to vaccine doses, everything is ready. In the Twin Cities, around 1,600 additional COVID-19 treatment beds will be available soon.
What about CM’s plans KCR Planning to make Hyderabad and Telangana super specialty care hubs?
According to the announcement, preparations are on to build four super specialty hospitals in the city. Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) is already installed and will be upgraded. Three more super specialty hospitals will be set up at Gaddianaram, Erragadda and Alwal. Each will have 1,000 beds at a cost of around Rs 1,000 to 1,200 crore. A 2,000-bed health city project will be constructed in Warangal. All these specialty hospitals will be under TIMS, which will be the nodal hospital. Along with this, NIMS will also be upgraded in a big way.
Despite ranking high in health indicators, the state’s health care spending remains high. How do you reduce it?
Since the formation of Telangana, the focus of the government sector on healthcare has increased significantly. We spent Rs 400 crore on equipment that is not being used properly and even simple repairs are being put off. Telangana Diagnostics, which provides free testing services to the poor, will expand to 13 more districts, bringing the total to 33, in addition to the 20 already running in the city. We are seriously contemplating the expansion of Basti dispensaries in all the 144 municipalities of the state. In addition to the existing 258 Basti dispensaries, 4,745 rural dispensaries will be made operational.
Given this, how will you manage the need for large numbers of health workers, especially doctors, in each of the dispensaries.
We have very well coordinated plans. Eight new medical colleges will be set up in the state in the next 18 months with an investment of Rs 600 crore each and 150 seats each. More PG seats will also be available siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar College. We are now tight-lipped with doctors in government hospitals and medical colleges, circling the campus and preparing for surgeries and submitting a weekly report to the ministry. It was found that doctors were engaged in their private practices and these measures would ensure that the poor have better access to free medical care.
Why is the Covid-19 test so low in the state? Why weren’t the restrictions tightened further?
It is wrong to say that we do less number of tests daily. We run around 35,000 tests even though the caseload is not around 200 per day. When the caseload is low, the number of first and second contacts will be limited. We are trying to balance the situation in the state. We are already facing criticism that we are fining and charging people for not wearing masks.
What are the preparations for the next wave? There are concerns that cases and deaths were underreported during the second wave.
We are expecting a spike in February. We are reporting the cases properly. At the same time, we should avoid creating unnecessary fear among people. Right now we are ready to face the third wave. If it does and as global data indicates the current Omicron version is not as dangerous as the delta version. From hospital beds to medicines to vaccine doses, everything is ready. In the Twin Cities, around 1,600 additional COVID-19 treatment beds will be available soon.
What about CM’s plans KCR Planning to make Hyderabad and Telangana super specialty care hubs?
According to the announcement, preparations are on to build four super specialty hospitals in the city. Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) is already installed and will be upgraded. Three more super specialty hospitals will be set up at Gaddianaram, Erragadda and Alwal. Each will have 1,000 beds at a cost of around Rs 1,000 to 1,200 crore. A 2,000-bed health city project will be constructed in Warangal. All these specialty hospitals will be under TIMS, which will be the nodal hospital. Along with this, NIMS will also be upgraded in a big way.
Despite ranking high in health indicators, the state’s health care spending remains high. How do you reduce it?
Since the formation of Telangana, the focus of the government sector on healthcare has increased significantly. We spent Rs 400 crore on equipment that is not being used properly and even simple repairs are being put off. Telangana Diagnostics, which provides free testing services to the poor, will expand to 13 more districts, bringing the total to 33, in addition to the 20 already running in the city. We are seriously contemplating the expansion of Basti dispensaries in all the 144 municipalities of the state. In addition to the existing 258 Basti dispensaries, 4,745 rural dispensaries will be made operational.
Given this, how will you manage the need for large numbers of health workers, especially doctors, in each of the dispensaries.
We have very well coordinated plans. Eight new medical colleges will be set up in the state in the next 18 months with an investment of Rs 600 crore each and 150 seats each. More PG seats will also be available siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar College. We are now tight-lipped with doctors in government hospitals and medical colleges, circling the campus and preparing for surgeries and submitting a weekly report to the ministry. It was found that doctors were engaged in their private practices and these measures would ensure that the poor have better access to free medical care.
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