Telangana: Docs Welcome Budget’s Preventive Care Focus

Hyderabad: Medical experts and doctors’ associations have largely welcomed the Telangana health Budget 2026–27, describing it as progressive with a strong focus on preventive care, while also calling for higher spending share and dedicated allocations for critical public health challenges.

Dr Ranga Reddy Burri of the Infection Control Academy of India termed the policy shift from a treatment-based system to preventive healthcare services as the most encouraging aspect of the Budget, crediting health minister Damodar Raja Narasimha for driving the change.

He pointed out that specific allocations sought for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) containment have not been reflected as separate line items. The academy had proposed Rs 250 crore each for TAPCAR and IPC strengthening, covering surveillance, laboratory capacity, workforce training, and monitoring systems. Despite this, he maintained that the overall outlook remains positive and expressed hope that these priorities will be addressed within the broader preventive healthcare framework.

Echoing similar views, the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) welcomed the ₹13,679 crore allocation to the Medical and Health Department—the highest so far—and appreciated the government’s continued focus on strengthening public healthcare infrastructure.

HRDA highlighted key developments including expansion of tertiary care capacity to 44,029 beds, strengthening of secondary care, and expansion of major institutions such as TIMS, NIMS, and the Warangal Multi Super Speciality Hospital.

The association, however, flagged that health expenditure remains around 4–5 percent of the total state budget, below the national average of about 6 percent, and called for a phased increase towards the government’s stated goal of allocating 10 percent to healthcare.