The Social Democratic Forum released a health manifesto outlining crucial agenda points of the Telangana health sector on Tuesday. The forum requested the State government to double the health budget, increasing it from the current 4.1% of total allocation to 8%. Additionally, they propose the construction of a 200-bed super specialty hospital in each Assembly constituency.
Presently, there is only one diagnostic centre available for approximately 8,125 people, but the SDF proposes a new benchmark of one centre per 5000 people. These centre should have an area of 2600 square feet and be staffed with one ANM, GNM, and a lab technician. The manifesto further emphasises the strengthening of existing primary health centres (PHCs), advocating three doctors to be available round the clock in each PHC. This arrangement would ensure two doctors are present during the day and one at night, ready to handle emergencies effectively. Akunuri Murali, convenor of SDF, also highlighted a critical point concerning the capacity of government hospitals. To optimise service delivery, he proposed banning private practice for doctors and instead offering them allowances.
To improve interdepartmental cooperation, the Government should hire 50 IT professionals where one professional is allocated to each of the 33 districts and remaining 17 work from Hyderabad. This would enable remote consultations and medical support through video-conferencing, alleviating the burden on patients who would otherwise have to travel from districts to Hyderabad for treatment.
Addressing the pressing issue of hospital beds, Dr. Preethi Dayal highlighted that Telangana currently has 21,000 hospital beds in government hospitals. However, to align with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, the State should aim to have 1,10,000 beds, considering the population’s needs. Another recommendation in the manifesto calls for regular inspections by district collectors at respective PHCs on a monthly basis. This initiative aims to ensure adherence to healthcare standards and maintain the quality of services across the state.
In a bid to enhance transparency and accountability, the SDF has proposed implementation of a ranking system for all hospitals in the State. This ranking mechanism will provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each facility, facilitating targeted improvements.
