VIJAYAWADA: A day after TNIE highlighted the Health Department’s indifferent attitude towards improving the infrastructure of government hospitals (Unforgivable, tnie September 6), Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu rapped officials concerned and asked them to get their act together. The issue also came up for discussion on the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Assembly.
According to sources, the TDP supremo instructed the Directorate of Medical Education to take up works to improve facilities at teaching hospitals at the earliest. The director of medical education (DME) and other officials of related wings will soon hold a meeting to brainstorm on the best possible ways to improve the situation at government hospitals.
BJP floor leader P Vishnu Kumar Raju said though `10 crore funds was enough to resolve problems at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, the government lacked the drive and the efficiency to perform.
Responding to the members, Naidu asserted that his government was giving top priority to public health. “Hospitals were in an almost non-functioning state due to lack of staff and infrastructure during the Congress party’s rule.
My government has changed that... I know a lot more needs to be done and we are working on it,” he said.BJP floor leader Vishnukumar Raju said, “It is quite evident that officials of the Health Department, including Principal Secretary Poonam Malakondaiah, are not working efficiently.
They are least bothered about utilising funds to develop infrastructure.”Meanwhile, Vijayawada GGH superintendent S Babulal said a meeting would be held with government officials on improving the infrastructure of the hospital.