Health Care In A Coma: Opposition

Opposition parties, on Thursday, alleged that the health and medical services in AP were in a coma.

The Opposition party MLAs slammed the state government for the lack of doctors, medicines and other infrastructure in the public hospitals.

TDP deputy floor leader Gali Muddukrishnamma Naidu said that the vacancy of doctors in government hospitals was at least 80%. He said that either doctors were not attending to their regular duties, or the posts have been lying vacant. In some hospitals, there was no para-medical staff, he said.

TDP MLA M Narasimhulu said that there was an acute shortage of medicines in government hospitals. He even offered to take Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. D L Ravindra Reddy along with him for a surprise inspection to such hospitals.

Uma Madhava Reddy complained of the lack of emergency services in Bhongir hospital.

MIM MLA Ahmed Balala pointed out that of 107 MPH posts, 87 were lying vacant.

CPI floor leader G Mallesh said that the funds meant for medicine and health were not reaching patients. He also alleged that the state government was deliberately ignoring the sector in order to promote corporate and private hospitals.

MLAs J Rangareddy (CPM), Dr. Jayaprakash Narayana (Lok Satta Party), Srikhanth Reddy (TDP), Errabelli Dayakar Rao (TDP) and others also criticised the government for the sorry state of affairs in government hospitals.

However, the minister said that a comprehensive survey was being taken up to identify the lack of medical facilities and infrastructure in government hospitals across the state. He said the deficiencies would be filled based on the survey.

The minister also admitted that as against the requirement of 1,892 Primary Health Centres, only 1,624 exist in AP. However, the remaining 137 PHCs were being set up with the approval of the 13th Finance Commission, he said. He said that another 120 community hospitals would be set up soon.

Ravindra Reddy said that till 2004, the budget for medical and health services in the state was a mere Rs. 62 crore, and that the Congress government would be spending Rs. 362 crore this year.

He said that about Rs. 2 lakh was being sanctioned for each PHC in the state every 3 months.

Admitting that 652 posts of civil surgeons were vacant, the minister said that the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission has been asked to fill 252 posts, and that a notification in this regard would be issued soon.

District Collectors, too, have been authorised to hire 400 doctors on a contract basis.

The minister said that the government would take severe action against doctors who do not join their duties after deputation. (INN)