The previous BRS government had filed an affidavit in the high court that it plans to demolish the old structure to construct a new building.
Published Jan 30, 2024 | 7:33 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 30, 2024 | 7:33 PM
Osmania General Hospital. (Supplied)
The Telangana government will decide on the expansion of the Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad following the high court’s directives, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said.
The Chief Minister made the statement after a review meeting of the Medical and Health Department at the Secretariat on Monday, 29 January.
Senior officials attending the meeting detailed the problems hampering the expansion of the facilities at the general hospital. Revanth Reddy said that a heritage building has been housing the hospital and it has been caught in a legal tangle. Hence, the government would decide on the future course of action as per the directions of the court.
The previous BRS government had filed an affidavit in the Telangana High Court, saying that it was planning to demolish the old building and other satellite structures to construct a new building for the hospital.
The affidavit pointed out that the present building was unfit for hospital purposes and it should be pulled down along with other structures to provide space for a new building.
The planned building, the affidavit said, would have an area of 35.76 lakh square feet, and would comply with the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), National Building Code of India (NBC), and other guidelines.
Its construction would be taken up subject to the high court’s orders in various public interest litigations pending before it.
While the current government has not taken any stand on demolishing the heritage building.
Besides the Chief Minister, Health Minister Damodara Raja Narasimha, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Seshadri, Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister Sangeeta Satyanarayana, Health Secretary Christina Chongthu, Commissioner Karnan, Director General of Drug Control Kamalahasan Reddy, Arogyasri CEO Visalatchy, and other officials attended the review meeting.
The Osmania General Hospital, one of the oldest super-speciality hospitals in Hyderabad, has been playing a crucial role in handling emergency cases from Hyderabad, besides providing medical care to prisoners. Additionally, it has also been serving as a referral centre for patients requiring complex surgeries.
However, a significant turning point came on 15 July 2020, when a devastating flood forced the closure of the hospital’s century-old building.
Consequently, all patients were relocated to the newly constructed Quli Qutb Shah Block. However, the new block with limited facilities and a fewer number of beds could not effectively handle the load.
Over time, various organisations filed separate public interest litigations (PILs), requesting the court an order to conserve the old building, and to construct a new one in the remaining available area.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure pharma majors used their CSR funds to improve housekeeping and maintenance services in government hospitals. The officials were directed to start it as a pilot project in either Osmania or Gandhi hospitals.
In the meeting, Revanth Reddy ordered officials to prepare a digital health profile for everyone in Telangana.
The Chief Minister suggested linking the digital health profile card with a unique number which would ensure required treatment in emergencies. The health profile card would linked to the Aarogyasri card as well.
The meeting also discussed removing the mandatory requirement of a white ration card to avail of the Aarogyasri benefit.
Cyber activists, meanwhile, expressed scepticism over Revanth Reddy’s plan to create 360-degree health profile records of all in the state.
“At the World Economic Forum this month, the Telangana Chief Minister said the same. Announced under KTR, two pilots of health profile creation have already taken place. This will be a forced exercise,” activist Srinivas Kodali said on X.
He added that Telangana would be “creating health profiles of every resident with 57 parameters as told by the previous IT minister. This exercise is to create National Health IDs and link electronic health data. Be prepared for more health data to be traded, sold, leaked, and transacted.”
Telangana will be creating Health Profiles of every resident with 57 parameters as told by the previous IT Minister. This exercise is to create National Health IDs and link electronic health data. Be prepared for more health data to be traded, sold, leaked, and transacted. https://t.co/xt3IFg6Htl
— Srinivas Kodali (@digitaldutta) January 30, 2024
The Chief Minister ordered the officials to complete the construction of TIMS Super Specialty Hospitals in Warangal, LB Nagar, Sanath Nagar, and Alwal on a war footing.
He said that medical colleges should be linked to hospitals so that there would be no shortage of doctors. Revanth Reddy enquired about the details of medical, nursing, and para-medical colleges in the state which were yet to be started.
He suggested officials look into the possibility of setting up medical and nursing colleges in Kodangal, Revanth Reddy’s Assembly constituency.
The Chief Minister said that all medical services should be available at Bibinagar –AIIMS, which would also benefit the people of Khammam, Warangal, and Nalgonda districts.
Once fully operational, the AIIMS would reduce the burden on Osmania and NIMS hospitals. Revanth Reddy ordered the officials to visit AIIMS and prepare a comprehensive report.
The Chief Minister said that he would meet the Union Health Minister, if necessary, and explain the need for providing a full complement of services at the AIIMS.
Revanth Reddy asked officials to develop alternative facilities so that people from all parts of the state should not rely only on Hyderabad for medical treatment. Area-wise better medical treatment facilities should be developed and the people should be provided with the best medical care. He suggested the continuation of Aarogyasri services in medical colleges concerned.
