The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has issued a statement explaining the measures taken during its five-year tenure to strengthen the public healthcare system in Andhra Pradesh and criticising the policies being followed by the present coalition government with regard to government medical colleges.
The YSRCP stated that September 15, 2023, marked a significant milestone in the history of public healthcare in Andhra Pradesh.
17 New Government Medical Colleges Launched
According to the YSRCP, only 12 government medical colleges were established in the state over nearly a century, from 1923 to 2019.
The party said that the YSRCP government, however, took up the construction of 17 new government medical colleges within five years, with an estimated cost of Rs. 8,480 crore, with the objective of having one government medical college in every parliamentary constituency.
On September 15, 2023, five medical colleges in Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Machilipatnam and Nandyal were inaugurated simultaneously, making 750 MBBS seats available, the party said.
Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 crisis, the government spent Rs. 2,403 crore on the construction of medical colleges, according to the YSRCP. It also stated that the medical colleges in Paderu and Pulivendula were made ready for admissions.
Focus Extended Beyond Medical College Construction
The YSRCP said its healthcare vision was not limited to the construction of medical colleges.
The party stated that several measures were taken to strengthen healthcare delivery, including expanding the Aarogyasri scheme from 1,000 treatments to 3,300 treatments, providing medical assistance of up to Rs. 25 lakh, establishing Village Clinics at the grassroots level and introducing Family Doctor services at people’s doorsteps.
The party said that government medical colleges and teaching hospitals were also established at the district level with the aim of creating a strong public healthcare network extending from villages to the super-speciality level.
YSRCP Accuses Coalition Government of Changing Course
The YSRCP alleged that the situation changed after the coalition government came to power.
Instead of completing the remaining medical colleges under construction and making additional MBBS seats available, the coalition government was allegedly attempting to hand over 10 government medical colleges to private organisations under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the party claimed.
The YSRCP also alleged that the government was depriving students in the state of medical education opportunities by refusing the sanctioned seats for the Pulivendula Medical College and restricting seats at the Paderu Medical College.
Public Opposition to Privatisation
The YSRCP said there had been a strong public response against the proposed privatisation of government medical colleges.
The party claimed that more than one crore signatures were collected to express public support for protecting government medical colleges. It also stated that the issue was brought to the attention of the Governor.
‘Government Medical Colleges Are Public Assets’
The YSRCP stressed that government medical colleges are not the personal property of any individual but are public assets built with taxpayers’ money.
According to the party, these institutions provide hope for poor students aspiring to become doctors and serve as a guarantee of healthcare security for economically disadvantaged families.
“What we built was not meant to be sold, but to serve generations,” the YSRCP said.
The party demanded that the decision to privatise government medical colleges be completely withdrawn and that all remaining medical colleges be completed under the government sector.
YSRCP Demands an End to Privatisation
The YSRCP urged the coalition government to stop measures that, according to the party, would deprive poor students of opportunities to pursue medical education and deny poor people access to quality healthcare.
The party demanded that public healthcare should not be turned into a business and that public assets should not be handed over to private organisations.
The YSRCP called upon the coalition government to protect government medical colleges and continue strengthening the public healthcare system in Andhra Pradesh.
