No new medical college for Telangana

Hyderabad: The Union health ministry has sanctioned 157 medical colleges in government hospitals nationwide, but Telangana state does not figure in the list. The state government had submitted proposals for six medical colleges.

The government had intended to establish a medical college each in district hospitals at Karimnagar, Khammam, Kothagudem, Asifabad, Tandur and Sangareddy. Senior officials in the medical and health department said the proposals had been submitted with all details.

The Union health ministry intends to establish medical colleges in government-run district hospitals and referral centres. District hospitals with higher patient load will be upgraded to teaching hospitals with the addition of the new medical colleges as part of a Centrally-sponsored scheme which is to be implemented in three phases. The state government and the Centre will share the costs.

Commenting on the development, Dr Bhaskar Rao, president of the Medical Colleges Associations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, said, “We do not know why Telangana state was missed out. Andhra Pradesh has got three colleges in Phase 3 of the project.”

According to sources, the proposals sent by the state government were not properly documented. A senior health official explained, “New districts have been formed and there was confusion over which district the proposal was for.”

A senior health official, however, said that these are wrong assumptions and that the proposals were formatted in a manner required by the Union health ministry required and there was no administrative lapse. The reason for not sanctioning medical colleges for the state is not understood as the requirements were properly assessed and submitted.