Hyderabad: State health minister Harish Rao announced that Telangana is one of the top three Indian states in the NITI Aayog health index. The state health department released its ten-year report card here on Monday, September 25.
“In 2014, we were ranked 11th and now we are at third position. We will soon reach the first position,” said Harish Rao crediting the success of the department to the medical staff.
Telangana ranks 2nd in PG medical seats
Stating that a budget of Rs 12,364 crore was accorded towards health care services, Rao pointed out the state had reached the second position in terms of PG medical seats, adding, “In the last nine years, medical seats have risen from 2850 to 8515 with the addition of nine new medical colleges.”
30k job vacancies to be filled in next 10 years
As many as 22,600 posts have been filled in the medical department in the last 9 years. “The process of filling an additional 7291 posts is underway,” Rao said.
So far about 5,204 staff nurse recruitment exams have been conducted. The results will be declared soon, he said.
“There are 156 AYUSH medical officer posts and 1931 Master of Public Health Administration (MPHA) female posts,” the minister added.
Telangana to get air ambulance
Harish Rao announced air ambulances will soon be introduced in the state. “Air ambulances will be used in case of emergencies. Patients will be air lifted to the hospitals from any part of the state,” said Harish Rao.
Significant decrease in maternal mortality rate
Underlining the significant reduction in maternal mortality rate, Rao said, “Today Telangana has 300 Amma Vodi vehicles. Once childbirths in government hospitals were only 30 percent. Now it has increased to 76 percent,” said the minister.
The number of 108 ambulances has increased to 450 as well and there is a rise in the number of ICUs in government hospitals from 5 to 80, he said.
On dialysis centres, he pointed out that before the formation of Telangana, there were only three centres in Unified Andhra. “This number has risen to 82 and very soon a dialysis centre will be set up in each constituency,” Rao said.
100 free organ transplant surgeries performed
According to Rao, nearly 100 organ surgeries costing around Rs 30 lakhs were performed for free at NIMS hospital in the last six months. Recently, NIMS bed capacity increased to 4,000.
“An organ transplant centre will be set up on the eighth floor of Gandhi Hospital,” Rao announced.
Informing that bone marrow transplant is done free of cost to eight people on an average every month at MNJ Cancer Hospital, the health minister asserted that people from all across the country will prefer to undergo organ transplants at government hospitals in the future.
310 pharmacists selected
A total of 310 pharmacists received government jobs. While 105 were selected under the director of public health, 135 were chosen under the Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) and 70 posts were picked under the directorate of medical education (DME).
“Telangana used to rank third in terms of availability and distribution of medicines. Soon it will reach the second position,” said Harish hoping that with the addition of new pharmacists, the state would reach the first position.
Free heart operations for children in NIMS
Harish Rao also informed that a group of British doctors will be performing free heart operations on children at NIMS for a week from today.
Congratulating Dr Arun, who is leading the British team, the minister said that authorities have been instructed to display the progress report at all levels.
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