Nims, Tims To Set Aside 50 Beds For International Patients
Telangana to reserve beds for international patients in govt hospitals
Hyderabad: Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha on Sunday announced that 50 beds will be reserved for international patients at Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), Sanathnagar, and the new Nims extension. As part of Health Week, the state will also roll out a cancer registry and a comprehensive screening programme.
The minister said screening for every citizen above 30 years of age would be expedited. “We will deploy mobile cancer screening units. Services are being decentralised and extended to the district level. We are also planning to establish regional cancer centres in the south, north, east and west regions. The second focus is trauma care, and we will establish 109 trauma centres,” he said.
He added that the government is strengthening departments to improve facilities. “We have decided to dedicate 50 beds for international patients. Corporate hospitals are already treating a large number of international patients, so why not government hospitals,” he remarked.
On whether such patients would be charged, the minister said the government is planning discussions and MoUs with other countries. He said policy changes were being planned in the state and advised doctors’ associations to participate in discussions regarding the recent announcement of appointing Group-1 officers in upcoming hospitals such as TIMS.
The decision, he said, was taken after officials visited corporate hospitals. “The superintendent’s role is primarily clinical. Why should they be burdened with sanitation and administrative responsibilities? This way, superintendents can focus more on surgeries and patient care,” he explained.
He noted that patients often prefer corporate hospitals due to better ambience, infrastructure and specialised services. To address this, the health department is planning to introduce more specialised departments and strengthen referrals to government hospitals.
He also highlighted the issue of equipment wear and tear, underscoring the need to appoint biomedical engineers to resolve the issue.
