It said strict action against quacks and unregulated clinics is critical to combat risks such as antibiotic resistance, mistreatment, and delayed diagnosis.
Published Mar 20, 2025 | 8:06 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 20, 2025 | 8:06 AM
IMA seeks government intervention to ensure quality healthcare. Representative Image
Synopsis: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that budget allocation alone cannot resolve key healthcare challenges. The association called for urgently establishing a Telangana State Health Commission, a regulatory body overseeing healthcare delivery and medical staffing to curb illegal practices.
The Telangana Budget for the financial year 2025-26, with a total outlay of ₹3,04,965 crore, allocated ₹12,393 crore to the Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department, marking a marginal increase from the previous year’s ₹11,468 crore. However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said in a statement on Wednesday, 19 March, that allocation alone cannot resolve key healthcare challenges.
The association called for urgently establishing a Telangana State Health Commission, a regulatory body overseeing healthcare delivery and medical staffing to curb illegal practices.
“Immediate doctor and staff recruitment is essential, with over 2,500 vacancies affecting care, especially in rural areas. IMA urges improvements in rural and urban health infrastructure, ensuring better diagnostic facilities, specialist doctors, and essential medicines,” said IMA in the statement.
It said strict action against quacks and unregulated clinics is critical to combat risks such as antibiotic resistance, mistreatment, and delayed diagnosis.
Public awareness campaigns are also needed to educate people about the dangers of unauthorised medical practices, the IMA said.
IMA Telangana called for collaborative efforts among the government, medical professionals, and the public to establish a robust healthcare system.
“The focus should be on creating accessible, affordable, and quality-driven health services for all, particularly in underserved areas. Additionally, the association emphasises the importance of fostering research and adopting advanced medical technologies to bring Telangana to the forefront of modern healthcare,” said IMA in a statement.
According to the announcement made by Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday, 4.06 percent of the state’s budget for 2025-26 has been allocated to the Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department.
“While this increase reflects the government’s intent to improve healthcare services, the allocation remains just four percent of the total budget, falling significantly short of the eight percent recommended by the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017,” said Hyderabad Infection Control Academy of India President Professor Dr Burri Ranga Reddy.
The Telangana budget must have prioritised preventive healthcare, rather than focusing predominantly on curative services, Dr Reddy said.
He said that the absence of a separate allocation for the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) — such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc — the control of vector-borne diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) programmes — a growing global threat — and infection control infrastructure in hospitals to prevent hospital-acquired infections is concerning.
“While dialysis network expansion for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is welcome, we must invest in early screening, community health programs, and robust infection control systems to prevent disease onset rather than only treating it,” Dr Reddy said.
He added that India ranks among the top countries facing a crisis of AMR.
“Global health experts, including WHO (World Health Organisation), emphasise AMR as a ‘silent pandemic’ requiring urgent action. As someone working at the global level in infection control and AMR policy recommendations, I emphasise that Telangana must take a leadership role in AMR containment,” Dr Reddy said.
He said that stronger infection control training is needed as part of the medical curriculum.
“The expansion of postgraduate specialisation seats is important to retain skilled doctors in the state. Investment in quality, not just quantity, is critical to preventing a future healthcare workforce crisis. The plan to develop Warangal, Nizamabad, and Khammam as healthcare hubs is commendable,” he added.
“Decentralisation must extend further to district-level hospitals, which require advanced diagnostic centres. Speciality services beyond urban centres are needed. Telemedicine and AI-powered healthcare solutions are needed to bridge rural-urban gaps. However, the initiative to provide safe drinking water to 107 fluoride-affected villages is a vital step, reinforcing the direct link between water safety and public health,” Dr Reddy said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
