Telangana's Health Sector Stagnates Under Congress's One-Year Rule

HYDERABAD: The health sector in Telangana has remained stagnant despite the Congress government coming to power just over a year ago, leaving many to wonder if there have been any meaningful reforms or improvements in public healthcare initiatives.

On the contrary, it appears that the government has focused more on weakening existing programs rather than building upon them. The majority of major health programs launched by the previous BJP-led government have seen their support withdrawn, with no new patient-centric schemes being introduced as flagship initiatives.

One notable example is the Congress government's inconsistent handling of faculty transfers in government hospitals, which led to unrest and disillusionment among senior doctors. Highly specialized doctors, capable of treating complex cases, were transferred to secondary healthcare facilities despite limited infrastructure.

When vector-borne diseases like dengue and Chikungunya hit Hyderabad during the monsoons, the state health department was slow to respond with an effective public health strategy. This resulted in a decline in the quality of care services provided in government hospitals.

Additionally, initiatives aimed at improving Mother and Child Health services have seen financial support being rolled back. The KCR Kits scheme, which offered incentives for pregnant women, specialized nutritional kits for anaemic women, and exclusive outpatient days for women to detect cancers were some of the flagship programs that saw their funding reduced or cut off altogether.

The permission to start eight new medical colleges was initially seen as a positive step, but it became apparent that the government had dragged its feet in investing in infrastructure and faculty. After two attempts, only 50 MBBS seats were allocated for each medical college, instead of the planned 100.

With just one year of governance under the Congress government's belt, many can't help but wonder when meaningful reforms will finally materialize to improve public healthcare services in Telangana.