The Telangana Assembly’s budget session on Monday extended past midnight and continued until around 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
Therefore, Dr. Sanjay Kalvakuntla appealed to the government that ICU admissions to Aarogyasri should be guided against as many hospitals turn down admission requests in ICU cases.
On Monday, the Telangana Assembly held its budget session through midnight and into early hours of Tuesday morning. The debates during this protracted sitting concentrated majorly on health issues.
So, the Korutla MLA Dr. Sanjay Kalvakuntla cited how finance minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka admitted current medical system’s impoverishments). “However, despite these inadequacies in our healthcare system. There is a decrease in the health budget compared to previous years,” noted Dr. Sanjay. “In the year 2018-19 financial year health budget was ₹5,783 crores. Which were doubled by BRS government within five years of their tenure,” he said.
Ensure a standard procedure for ICU admissions under Aarogyasri
Dr. Sanjay commended Rajiv Aarogyasri limit increase from ₹ 5 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh but he observed that it is rarely used on this higher limit. “Sometimes patients in Intensive Care Unit need up to full ₹10 lakh.” “I request authorities to craft guidelines for Aarogyasri ICU admissions since many hospitals deny such requests,” he suggested.
He also added that not only did the Congress Government rename KCR Kit but they also stopped it altogether. He asked that these kits be distributed again because they greatly contributed towards increasing institutional deliveries. They mentioned how Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government transformed three-tier. Healthcare system into a five-tier one with Basti Dawakhanas and Palle Dawakhanas below primary healthcare level being introduced.
Prioritise cervical cancer vaccines
Dr. Sanjay further criticized the central government for not allotting any of the 157 new medical and nursing colleges to Telangana. He appreciated the previous BRS government’s idea of having a medical college in each district of the State. He also recommended that cancer screening programs should be organized and the Government should prioritize cervical cancer vaccines.
The former Health Minister T. Harish Rao speaking as MLA from Siddipet addressed on-going issue at OGH stating that it is penning before High Court. “We have had several meetings and filed affidavits wanting court to expedite its decision. However, this problem has lingered on through out eight months under current regime due to the pending court order,” he said.
73 trauma care centres announced
In response to opposition queries, Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha stated that his government was committed to Universal Healthcare, quality services, reduced out-of-pocket expenses and improved access to healthcare. The minister also highlighted about pending Aarogyasri bills. Which will be cleared in phases as well as indicated that 73 trauma care centers would be set up across. India to save accident victims within ‘golden hour’. Which would amount around ₹339 crores.
4 districts with regional cancer centers
There are 25 mobile cancer screening vehicles that the state government plans to deploy in various parts of Andhra Pradesh and also improve on the cancer care centers at MNJ Institute of Oncology. Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Osmania General Hospital. “We plan to have four more such centres in Adilabad, Mahabubnagar, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Sangareddy with each estimated at ₹ 50 crore,” he said. The Minister also expressed the need for additional Primary Health Centers (PHC) in tribal areas and announced a plan to chart out existing PHCs.
The minister concluded by saying, “We will ensure that policy decisions take into account. The expertise of those doctors as we have elected fifteen doctors as MLAs in Telangana Assembly. Their knowledge will guide the government in enhancing the health department.”
