Hospital Bed Shortage in Telangana
Hyderabad: There is a shortage of hospital beds in most districts of Telangana, except for Hyderabad, Adilabad, and Hanamkonda.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) discovered that the state needs 35,004 beds as per the 2011 Census. However, government hospitals only have 27,996 beds, resulting in a shortage of 7,008 beds. Adilabad, Hyderabad, and Hanumakonda are the only districts without this issue.
Out of 1,113 Sub-Centre projects sanctioned between 2016 and 2022, only 331 (30%) have been completed. Another 454 (41%) are in various stages of completion, 148 (13%) are in the tendering stage, and 180 (16%) have not started.
The CAG also found a lack of Community Health Centers (CHCs), Primary Health Centers (PHCs), and Basti Dawakhanas in the state. Only 69% of Community Health Centers, 25% of Primary Health Centers, and 29% of Sub-centers/Basti Dawakhanas are available.
In Jangaon, Rajanna Sircilla, and Hanumakonda, there are no CHCs. In most districts, the number of people served by PHCs and SCs does not meet the required standards.
The CAG noted that the Telangana State Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC) has not maintained a comprehensive database of construction activities since 2019. This has led to ineffective monitoring.
The planned 50-bed Integrated AYUSH Hospitals in Vikarabad, Siddipet, and Jayashankar Bhupalpally have not been built, causing the state to lose central funding of Rs 7.20 crore.
The academic building at Osmania Medical College, completed in October 2016, remained unused as of April 2022 due to a lack of required equipment and furniture. This led to an unfruitful expenditure of Rs 17.35 crore.
Similarly, the completed Nursing School building in Nizamabad was not handed over to the user department until June 2022, wasting Rs 14.44 crore. The Nursing College in Jagtial has been operating in an incomplete building since July 2019 and lacks hostel facilities for students.
The CAG recommended that the government take steps to establish CHCs, PHCs, and SCs as per norms. It also suggested upgrading all PHCs and SCs to Health and Wellness Centers by providing necessary human resources and infrastructure. Additionally, the government should increase the number of beds in government hospitals and provide necessary equipment according to IPHS norms.
