Revanth Bets Big on Teaching Hospitals

Links Aarogyasri to boost patient footfall  

metro india news  I hyderabad

In a major push to strengthen public healthcare infrastructure, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced a comprehensive plan to revive teaching hospitals by routing Aarogyasri patients to them, addressing the persistent issue of low patient footfall. The government also plans to place hospital administration under Group I officers to improve governance, while aligning funding through both Aarogyasri and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to ensure better facilities and services.

Speaking in Assembly, the Chief Minister said the state’s 35 teaching medical colleges would be revitalized through this integrated approach, ensuring that poor patients receive quality treatment while strengthening institutional capacity. He also unveiled plans for long term healthcare expansion, including upgrading TIMS hospitals in Warangal, Alwal, LB Nagar and Sanath Nagar into specialty centres, and constructing a new 10,000 bed Osmania Hospital at Goshamahal with an outlay of Rs 3,000 crore. Additionally, a dedicated platform is being developed to enable Telugu doctors working abroad to offer services in Telangana during their visits.

Highlighting welfare expansion, he announced the proposed Indiramma Jeevitha Bheema scheme, which will provide insurance coverage to 1.15 crore families based on caste census data.

Taking a swipe at the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government, Revanth Reddy said the current administration inherited significant arrears under the Aarogyasri scheme. He termed these dues an “unwanted legacy,” accusing the former regime of allowing bills to pile up and triggering distress among private hospitals. He also dismissed opposition claims that hospitals were shutting down due to non payment, calling them misleading.

Providing figures, the Chief Minister said that since December 8, 2023, the government has cleared Rs 2,408 crore in Aarogyasri payments, including Rs  927 crore to government hospitals and Rs  1,480 crore to private hospitals. Pending dues have now been reduced to Rs 727 crore, largely linked to the previous regime, while payments are being streamlined through a Green Channel system.

On the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, he said past irregularities and misuse had been curbed by making the application process fully online. So far, Rs 2,046 crore has been disbursed under the fund, with total spending on healthcare for the poor touching Rs 4,500 crore.

Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, speaking during Question Hour, said 9.45 lakh people have benefited from Aarogyasri since the Congress government assumed office. He noted a sharp rise in beneficiaries and hospital payments, alongside expansion of the empanelled hospital network from 330 to 537. He added that arrears inherited from the previous government are being steadily cleared, while rejecting claims that private hospitals are refusing Aarogyasri patients.