VIMS ‘privatisation’ opposed

Vijayawada: The members of Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV), an NGO demanded that the government cancel GO MS No 33 issued for privatisation of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences, Visakhapatnam (VIMS).

The Institute was inaugurated in 2016 in an extant of 100 acres.

The members of PAV alleged that the government was trying to privatise the important health sector which covers North Andhra Pradesh and parts of Orissa.

The PAV members organised a workshop here on Sunday and spoke on the same.

The PAV North Andhra regional convener, T Kameswara Rao briefed on the latest situation of VIMS and urged the people to save it from privatisation. He said that the government was collecting charges from the patients by handing over to private organisations.

He said that shortly all the super specialty wings would be given to private people to maintain, he added.

Venkateswara Rao said patients from the North Andhra agencies, Chhattisgarh and Orissa visit VIMS as KGH was not able to serve the 15 lakh patients of Vishakapatnam.

The PAV convener Dr Suresh complained that funds were not allocated by the government for the maintenance of VIMS and alleged that the government was planning to privatise eight super speciality services.

He informed that they would organise a statewide campaign against VIMS privatisation and observe anti-privatisation week starting from June 1.

Dr MV Ramaiah, AG Raja Mohan, Dr Rajeswara Rao, A Vamsi Krishna and others were present.