Telangana Health Minister Addresses Medical Graduates, Highlights Healthcare Expansion Initiatives

Hyderabad: Telangana's Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha graced the convocation ceremony at Gandhi Medical College, conferring degrees upon the 68th cohort of MBBS graduates. In his address, the minister underscored that the graduates were embarking on a solemn commitment to serve their communities through the medical profession.

The minister acknowledged the pivotal role played by families and educators in shaping the success of the graduating class. He characterised medicine as a vocation demanding lifelong dedication to public welfare, emphasising that practitioners guided by integrity and compassion earn enduring respect within society.

Narasimha reflected on Gandhi Medical College's transformation into a beacon of knowledge, values and compassion, noting its journey from a modest infirmary established in 1851 to a premier tertiary care institution. He highlighted the hospital's critical contributions during public health emergencies, including dengue, swine flu and the Covid-19 pandemic, during which it provided care to approximately one lakh patients.

Expanding Government Healthcare Infrastructure

Underscoring the government's commitment to strengthening public healthcare delivery, the minister pointed to recent achievements in advanced medical procedures. He cited the successful liver transplant performed on an 18-month-old child at Osmania Hospital—a procedure that would typically cost several lakhs in private facilities but was conducted free of charge at the government institution.

The minister announced the operationalisation of a state-of-the-art organ transplant centre at Gandhi Hospital, developed with an investment of Rs. 40 crore. The facility comprises six modular operation theatres, three intensive care units accommodating 25 beds, and isolation wards designed for transplant patients. A second transplant centre is currently under development at TIMS Sanathnagar, with organ retrieval centres being established across seven government general hospitals throughout the state.

New Medical Services and Facilities

The minister highlighted the impact of the IVF centre launched at Gandhi Hospital in 2024, noting that the facility has enabled numerous couples to start families. He specifically mentioned a couple who recently delivered twin babies following treatment at the centre.

The convocation also marked the inauguration of a mother milk bank at Gandhi Hospital, designed to support newborns when maternal breastfeeding is not feasible. Additionally, the hospital has established a 10-bed substance intoxication care unit and a de-addiction counselling centre to address drug abuse-related health concerns.

Expansion of Medical Education

Narasimha outlined the state's robust expansion of medical education infrastructure. Telangana currently operates 35 government medical colleges. Over the past two years, the government has established nine new medical colleges, 16 nursing colleges and 28 paramedical colleges. Infrastructure improvements include digital classrooms, e-libraries, skill laboratories and virtual anatomy tables.

Construction is underway for a new Osmania Hospital in Goshamahal with 2,000 beds, budgeted at Rs. 2,700 crore. Hostel facilities for students at Gandhi and Osmania hospitals are also being constructed at a cost of Rs. 210 crore.

The minister announced a 15 per cent increase in stipends for undergraduate, postgraduate and senior resident students. Postgraduate medical seats have expanded from 1,121 to 1,266 over the last two years, with proposals pending approval for an additional 388 seats. The government has constituted monitoring committees for every medical college and initiated recruitment drives for thousands of healthcare positions across the state.