VIJAYAWADA: In an eightfold surge in healthcare infrastructure spending, the State government has mobilised and executed Rs 229.29 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) since June 2024, culminating in the inauguration of 22 major medical facilities worth Rs 249.50 crore on Saturday.
The projects—comprising 10 Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) and 12 Integrated Public Health Labs (IPHLs)—will be formally launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The main ceremony will be hosted at the Dr BR Ambedkar Kalavedika in Vijayawada, following an in-person inauguration and inspection of the newly constructed CCB and IPHL at Vijayawada Old Government General Hospital (Old GGH).
Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav disclosed that the inaugurations mark a shift in the State’s healthcare execution, contrasting the recent Rs 229.29 crore expenditure with the Rs 28.85 crore spent under the scheme between 2019 and 2024.
The newly completed works include 10 state-of-the-art CCBs constructed at a cost of Rs 234.50 crore, which will immediately add 500 dedicated emergency beds across key government medical colleges and district health facilities.
Located in Kadapa, Nellore, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Ongole, Anakapalle, Rajamahendravaram, Kurnool, Hindupur, and Vijayawada, these units are equipped with advanced Operation Theatres, ultrasound diagnostics, and specialised super-speciality departments, to deliver critical care locally and reduce travel burdens for low- and middle-income families.
Satya Kumar noted that unlike standard hospital wards, which often faced severe strain and disrupted routine patient services during health crises, the newly constructed CCBs will operate as isolated high-dependency units capable of handling disease outbreaks and natural disasters without compromising healthcare.
The Centre has sanctioned a total of 24 Critical Care Blocks for AP under PM-ABHIM, involving an aggregate allocation of Rs 600.35 crore across 16 government medical colleges, three district hospitals, and five area hospitals. Upon full implementation, the network will yield 1,275 specialised critical beds statewide. The Minister affirmed that the remaining 14 CCBs are undergoing construction and are targeted for completion by April 30, 2027.
Simultaneously, the State is operationalising 12 new Integrated Public Health Labs, established at a cost of Rs 15 crore. The launch completes the Centre-sanctioned network of 26 IPHLs across the state, joining 14 facilities in operation.
Positioned across diverse geographical belts—including Seethampeta (Parvathipuram Manyam), Guntakal (Anantapur), Palamaner (Chittoor), Aganampudi (Visakhapatnam), Nandigama (NTR), Chirala (Bapatla), Araku (ASR), Narasaraopet (Palnadu), Banaganapalle (Nandyal), Anaparthi (East Godavari), Tuni (Kakinada), and Gudur (Nellore)—these laboratories will provide advanced district-level diagnostic capabilities.