Health Minister Vidadala Rajini has said that the Andhra Pradesh government will explore the possibilities to seek the necessary aid from the World Health Organization (WHO) to check the chronic kidney ailments prevalent in the Uddanam region of Srikakulam district.
“We will approach whatsoever way is available to check the spread of the renal ailments in the Uddanam region. We will also explore how to get the necessary aid from the WHO,” Ms. Rajini told the media here on April 24 (Monday).
Ms. Rajini, accompanied by Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC) Vice-Chairman and Managing Director D. Muralidhar Reddy, MP Margani Bharat and Rajanagaram MLA Jakkampudi Raja, inspected the construction of the new medical college on the government hospital campus in Rajamahendravaram on Monday.
“Until now, the Harvard Medical School has concluded that water may be one of the factors for the renal ailments prevalent in Uddanam. The State government will certainly explore if there is a possibility to get any aid from the WHO. Meanwhile, the construction of a kidney research centre and ₹700-crore drinking water pipeline projects are in the progress in Uddanam,” said Ms. Rajini.
Referring to the new medical college in Rajamahendravaram, the Health Minister said it was being built at a cost of ₹475 crore. “The capacity of the 350-bed government hospital Rajamahendravaram will be increased soon,” she said.
NMC inspection
Ms. Rajini further said that the National Medical Commission (NMC) would soon inspect the five new medical colleges including the ones at Rajamahendravaram, Vizianagaram, Machilipatnam and Nandyal that would offer medical education from the next academic year. “Each of the five colleges will have 150 MBBS seats from the next academic year. We are prepared for the NMC inspection that is likely to be done before August,” said Ms. Rajini.