Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Labour Minister Gaddam Vivek Venkatswamy on Friday distributed appointment letters to 247 nursing officers selected by the Insurance Medical Services (IMS) department during a programme at Sevalal Bhavan in Hyderabad.
Addressing the gathering, Bhatti Vikramarka said government spending on healthcare and education should not be viewed as free welfare. Instead, he described it as a long-term investment in human resources that would strengthen the State’s Gross Domestic Product.
The Deputy Chief Minister said workers’ rights and minimum wages had remained neglected during the previous decade. He recalled raising the issue of minimum wage revision in every Assembly budget session while serving as the Opposition leader. However, he said the previous government failed to respond adequately.
247 nursing officers strengthen IMS healthcare services
Further, Bhatti Vikramarka appreciated Labour Minister Gaddam Vivek Venkatswamy for taking the initiative to issue long-pending minimum wage revision orders after assuming office.
Additionally, the Deputy Chief Minister said the government would release ₹30 crore through a green channel. The funds would ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicines in ESI hospitals for poor patients.
Meanwhile, he said the government was upgrading ESI hospitals to improve healthcare for workers and their families. The government was setting up advanced dialysis units, CT scan facilities, burns wards and cardiac care centres. It was also modernising existing hospital infrastructure.
The Deputy Chief Minister also announced recruitment for 120 Civil Assistant Surgeons, six Dental Civil Surgeons, 99 Pharmacists, 34 Lab Technicians, 54 ANMs and other paramedical staff. He said the recruitment would address staff shortages across the healthcare sector.
Moreover, Bhatti Vikramarka said the government was expanding access to super-specialty healthcare services. Construction of multi super-specialty hospitals at Sanathnagar ESI, LB Nagar, Alwal and Warangal was progressing with monthly fund releases.
He added that expansion works at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) remained a priority. Bhatti Vikramarka said Telangana was expanding healthcare infrastructure to around 44,029 beds. He said Insurance Medical Services provided healthcare to nearly 75 lakh people.
Bhatti Vikramarka also said the government had sanctioned nine new medical colleges, 16 nursing colleges and 28 paramedical colleges in addition to the existing 16 medical colleges.