Privatization of hospitals ‘A threat to the poor’ says Dharmana

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao has strongly criticized the state coalition government’s move to privatize medical colleges and hospitals, warning that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) will launch protests if the plan proceeds. Speaking at a press conference in Srikakulam, Dharmana said that transferring education and healthcare services to private management would jeopardize the lives of students and the underprivileged, and the government must immediately revoke the decision.

Dharmana described the proposal as a reckless step by the coalition government, which he said treats public welfare as secondary while favoring private institutions. He emphasized that the opposition would not remain silent until the government reverses its stance, particularly when public health is at stake.

He highlighted that the public strongly opposes privatization, stressing that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, especially for the poor. “Under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, the government is undermining citizens’ constitutional rights by privatizing medical colleges, effectively converting free medical care into a commodity for the wealthy,” he said. Dharmana also recalled how Andhra Pradesh, under YSRCP leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully protected public health and saved lives, earning global recognition for its effective management.

The former minister criticized private hospitals for exploiting patients financially, arguing that the government’s failure to strengthen public healthcare, including schemes like Aarogyasri, has left the poor vulnerable. He noted that while the Aarogyasri program had previously provided critical financial support to families during treatment, the current government has weakened the scheme and created obstacles for patients seeking treatment at network hospitals.

Dharmana also outlined the YSRCP government’s achievements in healthcare infrastructure: construction of 17 new medical colleges, completion of seven colleges, establishment of teaching hospitals on 50-acre campuses, and setting affordable fee structures with 50% of seats reserved at minimal cost. He stressed that integrating medical colleges with Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) across districts would create a unified medical hub capable of providing quality treatment and curbing excessive private hospital charges.

He questioned the coalition government’s logic, asking how private entities could manage healthcare better than the government, given the extensive public infrastructure already in place. Dharmana cited the Srikakulam Kidney Research Centre and large-scale water supply projects as examples of the YSRCP’s focus on addressing long-standing public health issues. He argued that prioritizing public welfare over private profit has been the hallmark of the YSRCP’s governance.

“Privatizing medical colleges and weakening public healthcare is not just a policy failure, it is a betrayal of public trust,” Dharmana concluded, urging the government to reconsider its approach before citizens’ welfare suffers irreparable harm.