TS will soon become a center of medical tourism: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Emphasising how Telangana has transformed itself into a hub of IT and pharma in the entire country, Finance and Health Minister T Harish Rao asserted that the State which is producing maximum number of doctors will also transform itself into a hub of medical tourism in the coming days. Addressing a gathering of doctors at HMTV Healthcare awards, the Minister maintained that the government was trying its best by establishing the healthcare infrastructure by establishing training facilities across the State for nursing and paramedical staff. “Given the experience during Covid, the government is now prepared to face not only coronavirus but also any type of pandemic. With oxygen generation plants we have ample support now,” he said. While referring to the number of deliveries in the state-run hospitals which now touched 76.3%, Harish Rao said this was an indication that government hospitals were competing with private which had only a share of 23%. “NIMS has also set records by conducting 100 kidney transplants within 6-months, besides scores of liver and heart transplants,” he pointed. According to him, the City of Hyderabad has slowly transformed into a hub for medical tourism not only for patients from other States but also from other countries. “Telangana which now stands on top not only IT, paddy production and several other areas will be producing about 10,000 doctors each year who will be contributing in turning the State into a medical hub,” he added. The Minister lauded the initiative by HMTV, as this recognition to the doctors would encourage them to serve the people with more enthusiasm. MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy while praising the award programme hoped that the HMTV would continue to hold more such programmes. A total of 300 doctors were handed over awards by the Minister serving under different specialisations. Starting from the ‘top 10 public health saviours’ category, the awards were also given to categories like ‘emerging women doctors’ besides recognition of doctors from districts.