Telangana Assembly session continues until around 3 a.m., focuses on healthcare challenges

Telangana Assembly's budget session focuses on healthcare, discussing budget allocations, Aarogyasri, cancer care, and medical colleges.

The Telangana Assembly’s budget session on Monday extended past midnight and continued until around 3 a.m. on Tuesday. Healthcare was a primary focus of the discussions held during this extended session.

Korutla MLA Dr. Sanjay Kalvakuntla started the discussion by highlighting Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s acknowledgment of the inadequacies in the current medical system. Dr. Sanjay pointed out that, despite this acknowledgment, the health budget had decreased compared to the previous year’s allocation. “In the fiscal year 2018-19, the health budget was ₹5,783 crores, which the BRS government doubled within five years of their term,” he said.

Dr. Sanjay commended the increase in the Rajiv Aarogyasri limit from ₹ 5 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh but noted that the higher limit is very rarely utilised. “Patients in the Intensive Care Unit often require the full ₹10 lakh. I urge that guidelines be established for ICU admissions under Aarogyasri, as many hospitals refuse admissions at the ICU stage,” he said.

He added that the current Congress government not only renamed the KCR Kit scheme but also discontinued it. He urged the government to resume the distribution of these kits, as they were instrumental in increasing the number of institutional deliveries. Dr. Sanjay also noted that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had transformed the traditional three-tier healthcare system into a five-tier system by introducing Basti Dawakhanas and Palle Dawakhanas below the primary healthcare level.

Dr. Sanjay further criticised the central government for not allocating any of the 157 new medical and nursing colleges to Telangana. He praised the previous BRS government’s plan to establish a medical college in each district of the State. He also suggested that the Government should prioritise cervical cancer vaccines and organise cancer screening programs.

Siddipet MLA and former Health Minister T. Harish Rao addressed the ongoing Osmania General Hospital (OGH) issue, stating that the matter is pending in the High Court. “We have held several meetings and filed affidavits to expedite the court’s decision. Despite eight months under the current government, the issue remains unresolved due to the pending court order,” he said.

Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha responded to opposition queries by highlighting the government’s commitment to Universal Healthcare, quality services, reduced out-of-pocket expenses, and improved access to healthcare. He mentioned that pending Aarogyasri bills would be cleared in phases and announced the establishment of 73 trauma care centres to save accident victims during the ‘golden hour,’ with the project costing around ₹339 crores.