HYDERABAD: The need to bridge the healthcare gap for rural and low-income populations dominated a conclave in Hyderabad, where experts from Telangana and the Northeast called for collaboration in infrastructure and technology to expand access to quality tertiary care. The discussions were held at the Healthcare Conclave during Phase II of the Telangana- North East Techno Cultural Festival at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.
Assam Health Secretary Dr P Ashok Babu said the Brahmaputra belt had become a cancer hotspot, with more than 50,000 cases detected annually and half the patients dying due to late diagnosis. He suggested that Telangana’s corporate hospitals support Assam in establishing super-speciality facilities, particularly for gastrointestinal care.
NIMS Director Dr N Bheerappa said a Telangana–Northeast partnership could help the region build healthcare infrastructure and technology, supported by super-speciality fellowships from NIMS. He added that NIMS already offers affordable tertiary care to neighbouring states, with 80% of its patients from BPL families.
In another session, Dr Ashok Babu stressed that equity was more important than equality and called for controlled implementation of the Clinical Establishments Act in the private sector to reduce costs.
Telangana Health Commissioner Dr S Sangeetha Satyanarayana said affordability and accessibility must be treated separately, noting that rural primary healthcare remained a work in progress. She said the government was strengthening primary and tertiary services, beginning with basti dawakhanas, and added that public–private partnerships could improve outreach in remote areas.
Experts also highlighted the role of primary health centres in preventive cancer care through awareness and early diagnosis.
Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust CEO Dr P Uday Kumar said 325 cancer procedures were covered under the Rajiv Aarogyasri scheme, with 66 hospitals offering cancer care in Telangana.
STEPS BEING TAKEN TO MAKE HYD MED TOURISM HUB
Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said collaboration with northeastern states would play a significant role in the health component of the ‘Telangana Rising 2047’ vision, inviting them to jointly design pilot projects. He added that steps were underway to develop Hyderabad into a medical tourism hub.
AI INTEGRATION IN FOCUS IN HEALTH, IT DISCUSSIONS
The second day featured panel discussions and field visits exploring collaboration across healthcare, pharma, life sciences and the IT and ITeS sectors. Sessions highlighted AI-driven clinical decision-making and advanced minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques, while IT and ITeS discussions at T-Hub focused on new skill needs amid a digital hiring shift and growing AI integration.