VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav has announced that the coalition government is preparing a special policy for hospital upgradation, emphasising that “every life is valuable” and that the administration is taking steps in that direction.
Responding to questions during the Assembly’s Question Hour, the Health Minister said hospitals with fewer than 50 beds will be upgraded based on population and disease burden.
In the first phase, 61 constituencies will see the establishment of multi-speciality hospitals under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, along with critical care blocks where necessary. He revealed that around 40 proposals for upgrading secondary hospitals have been received, including facilities at Gannavaram near Vijayawada, Kovur in Nellore district, and Kovvur in East Godavari district.
Orders have already been issued to upgrade 30-bed Community Health Centres in Mangalagiri and Pithapuram to 100 beds, and to expand the 50-bed hospital in Chinturu to 100 beds. He noted that the coalition government has now taken up construction works in 188 area and community health centres at a cost of Rs 1,518.80 crore through NABARD funding. Of this, Rs 111 crore worth of works have been completed, with 60 hospitals nearing completion.
The Health Minister further stated that 24 critical care block buildings are being constructed across districts at a cost of Rs 600 crore, with 14 nearing completion. Proposals have also been sent to the Centre seeking sanction of additional critical care blocks in Chittoor, Amalapuram, Annamayya and Polavaram districts. The government is also working on establishing trauma care centres, in line with the Union Budget’s proposal to set up one trauma centre at every 100 km to reduce fatalities from accidents.