Ganta assures to roll back GO

Visakhapatnam: Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao assured to roll back the GO No 33 which was released to privatise some services of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS). The minister informed that he would speak to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu not to privatise 10 super specialty divisions under Public and Private Partnership.

Government in the GO stated that in the first phase, 10 super specialty divisions will be handed over to the private parties

Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Saturday convened a meeting with the CPM leaders and officials of the VIMS and discussed about the privitisation of the VIMS.

The government released the GO saying that some of the key services and 10 super specialty divisions of VIMS would be privatised. The Left parties were agitating to roll back the GO. Responding to the CPM leaders demand, the minister convened a meeting and assured them that he would strive for the allocation of funds and appointment of the staff and doctors at VIMS.

City Secretary of CPM B Ganga Rao explained about the formation of the VIMS and the need to develop the institution on a priority basis. The government in the GO mentioned that in the first phase, 10 super specialty divisions would be handed over to the private parties.

Already, several clinical laboratory testing services were privatised and the private agencies fleecing the money from the poor, Ganga Rao pointed out. He urged the minister intervene in the issue and demanded development of VIMS on par with NIMS in Hyderabad.

The minister enquired about the tariff of various services in the VIMS and what are the needs of the hospital. He also directed the officials to prepare a note on the need of the funds, staff and doctors’ particulars. He assured that he would discuss the issue with the Chief Minister.

CPM leaders VN Padmanabha Raju, RKSV Kumar, P Mani, V Krishna Rao and P Sankar Rao also participated in the meeting.