Health Minister Harish Rao unveiled the Health Department’s 10-year progress report at Ravindra Bharathi on Monday.
Mr. Rao said that the State has made remarkable strides in healthcare, surging from 11th position in 2014, to third place in 2023, when evaluated against national health benchmarks. He emphasised that this achievement is just the beginning, and the State’s commitment to continuous improvement will not waver until it achieves the first rank.
The comprehensive report provided comparison of various healthcare parameters, spanning the years from 2014 to 2023. Notable highlights include the expansion of hospital bed capacity, which has grown from 17,000 beds in 2014 to 34,000 beds in 2023. Similarly, the number of oxygen beds has surged from 1,400 in 2014 to 34,000. The State’s healthcare infrastructure has also witnessed substantial growth, with medical colleges increasing from 20 in 2014 to a current count of 56, and nursing colleges expanding from 74 to 106.
Telangana, which had only three dialysis centres in government facilities in 2014 located in Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, and MGM Hospital Warangal, now has a total of 82 dialysis centres. The Minister said the government’s plan is to to establish 119 such centres, ensuring that each Assembly constituency has access to one facility.
The State also witnessed improvements in critical care facilities, with the number of ICUs soaring from just 5 in 2014 to 80 in 2023. Specialised care units for paediatric patients have grown from 2 to 35, while Special Neonatal Care Units (SNCUs) have increased from 15 to 55. Furthermore, the number of blood banks has doubled from 28 in 2014 to 56 presently. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centers, which numbered a mere 6 in 2014, have increased to 28.
Harish Rao attributed this success to the tireless dedication and hard work of all the doctors and healthcare staff in the State.
