Health department outlay hiked to Rs.12,161 cr

HYDERABAD: Finance minister T. Harish Rao provided Rs 200 crore to implement the KCR Nutritional Kits initiative, which will benefit about 4 lakh pregnant women, in the State Budget for 2023-24 on Monday.

Harish Rao, who is also health minister, hiked the outlay for the department to Rs 12,161 crore, against Rs 11,237 crore last year and Rs 5,816 crore in 2021-22.

With about Rs 8,000 crore worth of developmental activities in the pipeline, constructing medical colleges in each district, recruiting staff, renovating medical facilities in government hospitals and implementing the ongoing schemes, the Budget allocation might pose a challenge.

He noted the government’s achievements: Niti Aayog placing the state third in free  medical care; maternal mortality rate falling from 92 to 43 per lakh, infant mortality rate falling from 39 in 2014 to 21; nation-topping 19 MBBS seats per one lakh population; second place with seven medical PG seats per lakh population.

Allocating Rs 1,061 crore for other government initiatives like Kanti Velugu, establishing super specialty hospitals in Hyderabad, construction of Health City in Warangal, Harish Rao said that government proposed to launch Basthi Dawakhanas in all towns.