Hyderabad: Deputy CM and finance minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has allocated Rs 12,393 crore to the health, medical and family welfare department, an increase of over Rs 1,000 crore from Rs 11,468 crore in 2024-25.A major allocation under this was made for the Rajiv Aarogyasri, implemented under the Cheyutha initiative, with increased free medical coverage up to Rs 10 lakh, doubling the previous limit of Rs 5 lakh. This will benefit 90 lakh families living below the poverty line. Additionally, treatment costs for 1,375 medical procedures have been increased by 20 per cent, and 163 treatments have been included, expanding the number of covered procedures to 1,835. An allocation of Rs 1,215 crore was made under Aarogyasri, marking a 50 per cent increase in funding and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare access for 2.84 crore citizens. The government has also claimed to secure higher funding under the National Health Mission (NHM) by ensuring timely fund releases but this has not been mentioned in the Budget.Free dialysis services will be available across 102 centres, benefiting over one lakh patients and reducing their financial burden by Rs 948 crore. To further expand these services, 95 new dialysis centres have been sanctioned. Additionally, 136 new ambulances have been deployed in mandals lacking emergency services. To strengthen medical education, 400 new MBBS seats have been introduced in newly established medical colleges. Sixteen new nursing colleges and 28 allied health sciences colleges will accommodate 2,640 additional students annually. The historic Osmania Hospital is set for modernisation with a Rs 2,700 crore investment. A cutting-edge medical facility will be developed over 27 acres, ensuring improved healthcare infrastructure. The Budget does not mention what is to be done with the old heritage building. Warangal will be developed as a major hub for education and healthcare. Commenting on the budget allocations, doctors discussed the need for increased investment at the primary level. “Infrastructural needs should be the priority. At present, the doctor-bed ratio is 1:3 and needs to be 1:1. There is a shortage of injections, gloves, medication and saline bottles in far off areas,” said Dr Rahul K., TJUDA president. The Indian Medical Association-Telangana called for the urgent establishment of a state health commission, a regulatory body to oversee healthcare delivery, and medical staffing, and curb illegal practices. “Immediate doctor and staff recruitment is essential, with over 2,500 vacancies affecting care, especially in rural areas,” said Dr Dwarkanath Reddy, president of IMA Telangana. “The Budget lacks a separate allocation for the prevention of high prevalence non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular (NCDs), control of vector-borne diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya etc), and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which are crucial for long-term public health improvement,” said Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, president, Infection Control Academy of India. “While we had hoped for at least the NHP-recommended allocation, if not 10 per cent, the Budget does indicate a positive direction with initiatives aimed at strengthening public health infrastructure. Effective utilisation of these funds will be critical to ensuring that healthcare access reaches the majority through a robust primary healthcare system,” he added. The current allocation stands at four per cent of the Budget, which is less than eight per cent recommended by the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 and six per cent by the World Health Organisation.
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