Vijayawada: One medical college to be set up in every LS constituency

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Medical and Health and Family Welfare Vidadala Rajini has said the government has inaugurated five medical colleges in the State and will inaugurate some more in the next academic year as part of the construction of 17 medical colleges in the State.

She said the 750 medical seats are added to the list of seats in the State from this academic year.

Rajini made this statement in the Legislative Council on Wednesday on the fifth and last day of the monsoon session of the Assembly. Legislative council members Thota Trimurthulu, Duvvada Srinivas and Mondithoka Arun Kumar sought to know if the government has taken steps for establishment of medical colleges in the State and if so, the number of medical colleges it has planned to increase the medical seats.

Responding to their question, Rajini said the State government had proposed to set up 17 medical colleges and five of them have been completed at Nandyal, Vizianagaram, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru and Machilipatnam. She said these colleges have 750 seats and further stated that some more medical colleges will be inaugurated next year.

She said the objective of the State government is to set up one medical college for every Lok Sabha constituency. She said the government will spend Rs 8,500 crore for construction of 17 medical colleges in the State.

Referring to family doctor concept, the Minister said under the concept, 105 types of medicines will be given and 14 types of tests are performed at the PHCs. She said 2.3 crore people will get medical services in the rural areas under the family doctor concept.

She said each PHC has two doctors - one attends the general duty and the other works under the family doctor concept. She said 53,190 staff and doctors have been recruited under the medical and health department since the YSRCP government came to power in 2019.

She said Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is giving priority to medical and health and taking initiative to develop the hospitals, construction of medical colleges and implementing the family doctor concept.

Legislative Council members T Kalpalatha, R Ramesh Yadav and T Madhava Rao have raised queries on family doctors concept in the Legislative Council. The five-day session ended on Wednesday.