TS budget 2022: Health budget hiked by 78.5%; 4 new super-specialty hospitals in Hyd

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has increased the health budget by 78.5% for the year 2022-23. The state's budget allocation to the health sector for the financial year 2022-23 is Rs. 11,237 crore. This is Rs. 4,942 crore more than the previous year (2021-22) which was Rs. 6,295 crore.

To expand medical facilities in Hyderabad, the government has decided that there will be super-specialty hospitals in all four corners of the city. These institutions will be collectively known as Telangana Institutions of Medical Sciences (TIMS). These hospitals will be established at Gachibowli, LB Nagar, Alwal and Erragadda. Each super specialty hospital will have 1,000 beds. Similarly, 2,000 beds will be added in NIMS. With this, the total number of beds in NIMS will increase to 3,489.

Medical college for every district

The government has decided that all districts in the state will have government medical colleges. These will be established over the next two years. This calendar year, the state is going to start eight new medical colleges at Asifabad, Bhupalpally, Vikarabad, Sircila, Janagaon, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, and Khammam. In 2023, new medical colleges will be established in the eight other districts – Medak, Medchal, Ranga Reddy, Mulugu, Warangal, Narayanpet, Gadwal, and Yadadri. The government is proposing an outlay of Rs. 1,000 crore for the establishment of new medical colleges.

Only three government medical colleges were established in the Telangana region during 60 years of rule in the combined state. Osmania and Gandhi hospitals were established even before the combined state, finance minister Harish Rao said in his budget speech on Monday.

As soon as Telangana was formed, four new medical colleges were established in Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Siddipet. Another eight medical colleges are sanctioned at Mancherial, Ramagundam, Jagtial, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Mahabubabad, Kothagudem, and Sangareddy. "All steps are being taken to ensure that these colleges start functioning from the next academic year. Buildings are being constructed and the staff is also being recruited," said the minister.

Basti dawakhana

The government has also decided to establish 57 basti dawakhanas in the Hyderabad Metropolitan area. "It has been decided that there should be 350 basti dawakhanas in Hyderabad. At present, 256 basti dawakhanas are functioning. They are providing free medical care as well as 57 different types of tests. Free medicines are also being distributed," said Mr. Harish Rao.

Infrastructure improvement in hospitals

The government has decided that patients will be provided nutritious food in government hospitals. For this, the diet charges are being doubled. For patients suffering from TB and cancer, the diet charges are being increased from Rs. 56 per bed to Rs. 112. Similarly, for other patients, the diet charges are being increased from Rs. 40 to Rs. 80. An outlay of Rs. 43.5 crores is proposed in the budget.

In Hyderabad, there are 18 major hospitals. Apart from patients, other family members who attend them also come to these hospitals. It has been decided that the attendants will also be provided subsidised food. It is expected that daily 18,600 people would benefit from this. An outlay of Rs. 38.66 crore is proposed for the same. To improve sanitation in hospitals, the government has decided to increase the wages of sanitary workers and others. For this, the sanitation expenditure per bed is being raised from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,500. An outlay of Rs. 338 crore is proposed in the budget.

The mortuaries in the state are in a pitiable condition. To modernise 61 mortuaries across the state, the government has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 32.5 crore. The ceiling on Arogyasri was Rs. 2 lakh earlier. Now it has been raised to Rs. 5 lakh. For heart, liver, and bone marrow transplantations, assistance up to Rs. 10 lakh will be provided.