Naidu Orders Fast-Track Rollout of Medical Colleges
CM Chandrababu reviews health, population management; targets fertility rate of 2.1
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to initiate works for medical colleges under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model within a month.
Reviewing the Sanjeevani project and population management at the Secretariat on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said that in the first phase, construction of four medical colleges in Markapuram, Madanapalle, Pulivendula, and Adoni should begin immediately. In the second phase, colleges in Amalapuram, Bapatla, Penukonda, Narsipatnam, Palakollu, and Parvathipuram are to be taken up.
He also instructed officials to soon roll out the AP State Health Investment Policy 2026–31, focusing on seven key pillars, including medical colleges, multi-specialty hospitals, med-tech manufacturing, startups and innovation, medical tourism, integrated wellness facilities, and skill development. The Chief Minister also suggested developing “Medicities” in Amaravati and Visakhapatnam region and writing to the Centre for setting up a naturopathy institute in Amaravati.
Highlighting the importance of preventive healthcare, Naidu stressed citizen health screening and better use of public health data to reduce medical expenses. Officials informed that under the Sanjeevani project, over 1.08 lakh people have received medical services, medicines were distributed to 2.8 lakh beneficiaries, and around 19,000 diagnostic tests were conducted.
The Chief Minister directed that the Sanjeevani project be expanded rapidly across the state and emphasized the need for effective implementation at the grassroots level.
On population management, he noted that the state’s fertility rate has declined from 2.1 to 1.5 and called for efforts to bring it back to the replacement level of 2.1. Officials stated that Kadapa district has the highest fertility rate at 1.99, while Visakhapatnam has the lowest at 1.32.
Naidu stressed the need to shift focus from population control to population management, promote awareness, and encourage balanced family systems. He also called for special drives to control diseases like anemia and diabetes and emphasized nutrition, preventive healthcare, and promotion of Ayurveda and naturopathy for overall public health.
