AP CM Call To Limit Caesarean Surgeries
The chief minister highlighted that 90 per cent of all cesarean section (C-Section) operations are occurring in private hospitals.
Vijayawada:Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said his government is committed to building a healthy Andhra Pradesh and called for stricter regulations against unnecessary caesarean surgeries, particularly in private hospitals.
Rounding off the Assembly discussions on the health department, Naidu said AP has developed a health infrastructure superior to the standards prescribed by the WHO. The state has 1,15,499 doctors and 70,243 nurses attached to the healthcare sector.
Condemning the Opposition campaign against PPP model of development for medical colleges, he said there was no truth in the YSRC leaders' claim on a likely reduction in free medical seats under PPP mode.
The CM said, “If we develop 10 medical colleges in PPP mode, overall, 110 additional medical seats will be made available for AP students in the proposed 10 medical colleges every year.”
In addition, 70 per cent of the beds will be set apart for providing patients treatment, diagnostics and medicines free of cost, he said.
Giving a powerpoint presentation on the health sector, the CM said that by opting for the PPP mode, the government can save `3,700 crore on the development of these colleges and `500 crore per year on the operation and management of these colleges.
Naidu said, “Quality healthcare and medical education can be provided through PPP mode development. States like UP, Odisha and Jharkhand also adopted the PPP mode for medical colleges and hospitals. The Chennai IIT, Udaipur IIM and IIT Nagpur are also expanding infrastructure through this mode.”
He stated that during 2020-21, the YSRC government spent only `1,550.39 crore against the total estimated investment of `8,480 crore on the sanctioned 17 new medical colleges. It did not commence operation of 11 medical colleges. The present government spent `786.82 crore in one year to revive the pending medical college projects.
Justifying the PPP mode, he said this did not mean a privatisation of medical colleges. The colleges would be handed over to the government after 33 years.
Citing the example of the Jegurupadu power plant, which was initiated on a PPP mode, the CM said after completion of 33 years, the plant was now handed over to the government. “Rather, if the government has to develop the medical colleges, it would take 20 years to achieve the goal. We would develop all ten medical colleges under the PPP mode in two years.”
Naidu said PPP is not new. After the economic reforms, all sectors including roads, airports, telecom etc were developed under the PPP model. A hundred-bedded multi-speciality hospital will be developed in all constituencies to improve the health of the poor, he said.
