Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka accused the TRS government of lacking commitment towards public healthcare, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis, and it is evident in the large number of vacancies in government hospitals.
As part of the CLP delegation visit to government hospitals across the State, the team visited Mahabubnagar, Gadwal and Wanaparthy district hospitals on Monday. At Mahabubnagar hospital, Mr. Vikramarka interacted with the duty doctors and patients.
He alleged that in spite of borrowing over ₹3 lakh crore during the last six years, the State government was not a position to provide proper beds in government hospitals and is not even paying salaries to frontline warriors such as staff nurses and other staff working on outsourcing basis in the hospitals for the last five months.
He pointed out that a large number of vacancies of doctors and other staff in government hospitals has affected healthcare services to the poor and as a result, work burden on the existing staff has increased. “Mahabubnagar teaching hospital has vacancies of nine professors, 19 associate professors and 15 assistant professors. Similarly, 30 senior resident doctors posts and 70 junior resident doctors posts are also vacant. Among other staff, 146 out of 213 are vacant,” he said.
Demanding that the government take up filling vacancies of all posts in the government healthcare sector and include COVID-19 under Aarogyasri scheme, Mr. Vikramarka suggested that isolation wards be set up in every Assembly constituency as the positive cases in the districts were on the rise.
He said the hospital infrastructure in Telangana needs to be bolstered as many COVID patients died due to lack of oxygen supply facility. The condition of Gadwal hospital is very bad since it lacks the required 350 beds to be called a district hospital, besides vacancies of civil surgeons, general surgeons, gynaecologist, paediatrician, dental, ENT, orthopaedic, pulmonary medicine posts. A total of 35 out of 49 sanctioned doctor posts are unfilled, he said.
Former MP Mallu Ravi and ex-legislator S.A. Sampath Kumar participated in the visit.