AP building 100 new PHCs at Rs 194 crore

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Tuesday informed the Legislative Council that the state government is undertaking large-scale measures to strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure, including the construction of 100 new Primary Health Centre (PHC) buildings at an estimated cost of ₹194 crore.

Replying to questions raised by members regarding PHC infrastructure, the minister said the state currently has 1,144 functional PHCs, all operating from dedicated buildings. An additional 88 PHCs have been sanctioned, with construction works progressing at various stages. Authorities have also identified the need for new buildings for 12 more PHCs and initiated steps toward their development.

Emphasizing the government’s focus on improving healthcare access for rural and economically weaker sections, Satya Kumar Yadav said extensive repair works have been completed in 976 PHC buildings across the state. Infrastructure development measures have also been taken up in 152 newly established PHCs to enhance service delivery.

The minister stated that Andhra Pradesh has 1,144 PHCs in rural areas and 560 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) in towns and cities. To improve healthcare outreach and service quality, the government recently recruited 2,500 doctors and paramedical staff. Recruitment of an additional 110 doctors is expected to be completed soon.

He further noted that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has launched the ‘Sanjeevani’ programme aimed at providing person-centric healthcare services through electronic health records and preventive healthcare measures. To ensure effective implementation, the state government has entered into agreements with Tata MD for staffing support and with the Gates Foundation for technology transformation. Training has already been provided to personnel involved in the programme, he added.

The minister explained that trained doctors and nursing staff are conducting deliveries at PHCs wherever facilities permit, while advanced diagnostic procedures such as ultrasound and TIFA scans are being carried out at 30-bed Community Health Centres (CHCs). As part of digital health reforms, the government is creating unique health IDs under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to digitize individual health records and enable better continuity of care.