Govt to give a corporate-style makeover to TIMS, Wgl hosp

Hyderabad: Health Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha on Monday instructed officials to ensure that the new Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) Hospitals and the Warangal Super Specialty Hospital are equipped with corporate-style furniture and equipment, with the added stipulation that suppliers must be responsible for maintenance.

During an extensive review meeting held at the TGMSIDC Office, Koti, the Minister emphasised that all procurements should be “future-ready,” incorporating the latest state-of-the-art technology to guarantee patients receive the best possible care. Officials were directed to consult with doctors to understand the equipment used in reputable corporate hospitals and consider similar advanced models wherever feasible. He further mandated that furniture procurement should consider the needs of doctors, hospital staff, and patients alike. Given the anticipated high patient footfall in these new hospitals, Narsimha stressed that equipment and furniture must be adequate to comfortably handle the expected volumes.

The Minister categorically stated that all procured items must come with warranty provisions, and suppliers should be held accountable for their maintenance obligations. “Not a single piece of equipment should remain unused or out of service,” he asserted firmly.

Regarding the supply of medicines in government hospitals, the Minister personally enquired whether all essential medicines were currently available and directed that sufficient stocks be maintained, particularly in view of the seasonal disease burden that may lead to increased patient inflow. He directed TGMSIDC officials to ensure that Central Medical Stores stock at least a three-month buffer supply of medicines to avoid shortages under any circumstances.

Concerning diagnostics infrastructure, the Minister directed that Platelet Separation Machines must be kept in working condition in all designated hospitals. All diagnostic hubs, he insisted, should be fully equipped to conduct a comprehensive range of tests and scans. “No patient should be referred outside even for a single test,” he underlined.

The Minister recalled that in the previous year, the government had established new medical stores in every district and sanctioned funds for the construction of permanent buildings for these stores. He instructed that construction works should be initiated in all districts without delay and completed expeditiously. He also informed that CT scan machines had already been provided across all medical colleges, and funds have been sanctioned for installing MRI machines wherever required. He directed officials to complete the procurement and installation of MRI machines at the earliest.

Finally, the Minister directed the Health Secretary to establish a dedicated state-level system for the Centralised Biomedical Engineering Monitoring Unit. A Central Monitoring Unit comprising five biomedical engineers is to be set up at the TGMSIDC Head Office. The Minister made it clear that hospital superintendents would be held responsible for ensuring that all equipment remains fully operational.