HYDERABAD: Health minister T Harish Rao has set specific goals to augment medical infra in the state apart from tackling the third wave of Covid-19. He tells Sribala Vadlapatla that medical colleges, seats, hospital beds, etc., will witness a sea change in next 18 months. Excerpts
Why is Covid-19 testing so low in the state? Why aren’t the restrictions made stricter?
It is wrong to say that we do a low number of daily tests. We run around 35,000 tests even when 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 imposing and collecting fines from people for not wearing the mask.
What are the preparations for the next wave? There is concern that cases and deaths during the second wave were under-reported.
We are anticipating a spike in February. We have been reporting the cases correctly. At the same time, we must avoid instilling unnecessary fear in people. As of now, we are prepared to face the third wave. If it occurs and as global data indicates that the current Omicron variant is not as dangerous as Delta variant. Everything is ready — from hospital beds to medications to vaccine doses. In the twin cities, nearly 1,600 additional Covid-19 treatment beds will be available soon.
What about the plans of chief minister KCR plans to make Hyderabad and Telangana a super-speciality care hub?
As announced, preparation for four super-speciality hospitals in the city is under way. Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) is already established and will be upgraded. Three other super-speciality hospitals in Gaddiannaram, Erragadda and Alwal will be established. Each will have 1,000 beds at a cost of around Rs 1,000-Rs 1,200 crore. A 2,000-bed health city project will be constructed in Warangal. All of these speciality hospitals will be under TIMS, which will be the nodal hospital. Along with these, NIMS will also be upgraded on a big scale.
Despite a high ranking in healthcare indicators, the state’s out-of-pocket healthcare spending is high. How do you reduce it?
Since the formation of Telangana, there has been a significant increase in the government sector’s focus on healthcare. 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 test services to the poor, will expand to 13 more districts, bringing the total to 33, in addition to the 20 already in operation in the city. We are seriously considering expanding basti dawakhanas to all 144 municipalities in the state. In addition to the 258 basti dawakhanas that are already existing, 4,745 rural dawakhanas will be made operational.
Given that, how will you manage the large number of healthcare workers, particularly doctors, required in each dawakhanas.
We have very well-coordinated plans. Eight new medical colleges will be established in the state over the next 18 months with each college costing Rs 600 crore and offering 150 seats each. More PG seats will also be available at Siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar colleges. We are now strict with doctors in government hospitals and medical colleges, they must be on the premises doing the rounds and preparing surgeries and submitting a weekly report to the ministry. It was discovered that doctors were preoccupied with their private practices and these measures will ensure that the poor have better access to free medical care.
Why is Covid-19 testing so low in the state? Why aren’t the restrictions made stricter?
It is wrong to say that we do a low number of daily tests. We run around 35,000 tests even when 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 imposing and collecting fines from people for not wearing the mask.
What are the preparations for the next wave? There is concern that cases and deaths during the second wave were under-reported.
We are anticipating a spike in February. We have been reporting the cases correctly. At the same time, we must avoid instilling unnecessary fear in people. As of now, we are prepared to face the third wave. If it occurs and as global data indicates that the current Omicron variant is not as dangerous as Delta variant. Everything is ready — from hospital beds to medications to vaccine doses. In the twin cities, nearly 1,600 additional Covid-19 treatment beds will be available soon.
What about the plans of chief minister KCR plans to make Hyderabad and Telangana a super-speciality care hub?
As announced, preparation for four super-speciality hospitals in the city is under way. Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) is already established and will be upgraded. Three other super-speciality hospitals in Gaddiannaram, Erragadda and Alwal will be established. Each will have 1,000 beds at a cost of around Rs 1,000-Rs 1,200 crore. A 2,000-bed health city project will be constructed in Warangal. All of these speciality hospitals will be under TIMS, which will be the nodal hospital. Along with these, NIMS will also be upgraded on a big scale.
Despite a high ranking in healthcare indicators, the state’s out-of-pocket healthcare spending is high. How do you reduce it?
Since the formation of Telangana, there has been a significant increase in the government sector’s focus on healthcare. 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 test services to the poor, will expand to 13 more districts, bringing the total to 33, in addition to the 20 already in operation in the city. We are seriously considering expanding basti dawakhanas to all 144 municipalities in the state. In addition to the 258 basti dawakhanas that are already existing, 4,745 rural dawakhanas will be made operational.
Given that, how will you manage the large number of healthcare workers, particularly doctors, required in each dawakhanas.
We have very well-coordinated plans. Eight new medical colleges will be established in the state over the next 18 months with each college costing Rs 600 crore and offering 150 seats each. More PG seats will also be available at Siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar colleges. We are now strict with doctors in government hospitals and medical colleges, they must be on the premises doing the rounds and preparing surgeries and submitting a weekly report to the ministry. It was discovered that doctors were preoccupied with their private practices and these measures will ensure that the poor have better access to free medical care.
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