1,616 Specialists To Strengthen Telangana's District Healthcare Services

The Telangana government is planning to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across districts to ensure that people can access quality treatment without travelling to Hyderabad. Health Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha said the focus was on expanding specialised medical services and improving the capabilities of government hospitals.

The minister made these remarks during a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, where officials discussed the proposed restructuring of the Directorate of Secondary Health Care, functioning under the Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP). The meeting examined recommendations from a study conducted by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and explored measures to improve the delivery of government healthcare services.

Rajanarasimha called for comprehensive improvements in infrastructure, medical equipment, specialist availability and staffing at Community Health Centres (CHCs), area hospitals and district hospitals. He noted that the government had recently appointed 1,616 specialist doctors under the secondary healthcare directorate and had also initiated recruitment of nurses and technicians. He stressed that hospitals must utilise these additional human resources effectively to expand treatment facilities and improve patient care.

The minister observed that appointing specialists would serve little purpose if hospitals lacked the necessary equipment and supporting personnel. He directed officials to assess the existing facilities at every hospital, including speciality departments, doctors, nursing staff, paramedical personnel, diagnostic equipment and laboratory services.

He also instructed authorities to prepare hospital-specific development plans based on bed capacity, covering institutions with 30, 50, 100 beds and higher capacities. These plans should establish clear requirements for additional beds, speciality services, operation theatres, laboratories and other essential infrastructure.

The minister directed officials to upgrade secondary healthcare institutions in accordance with the Centre's Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). Authorities were asked to compare sanctioned posts with existing staff strength, identify shortages and submit proposals for additional recruitment wherever necessary.

The government is also considering establishing District Coordinator of Hospital Services (DCHS) offices in every district to strengthen administrative accountability and ensure continuous monitoring of hospital operations.