Exhorts doctors to serve in Govt hospitals for a month each year

This is a novel idea. If it is implemented people here stand to benefit a lot. Many NRI doctors visiting their native places in Hyderabad and Telangana will surely volunteer for this initiative, atleast for sometime during their stay here. However the government has to extend the needed tech.support including medical equipment and devices for them, he felt.

Dr Gattu Srinivasulu Past president, IMA Hyderabad city

■ Patients from 66 countries come to AIG Hospitals for treatment

■ State’s commitment to provide free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh under Aarogyasri

■ To strengthen cancer care, Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu has been appointed as an advisor

■ State's 2047 vision document will feature Health Tourism as a dedicated chapter

mahesh avadutha I hyderabad

A day after exploring the idea of making salary deduction to the tune of 10-15 %  to support the elderly, the Telangana Chief Minister on Wednesday gave a clarion call to the medical fraternity to set aside a month in each year and serve in any Government Hospital in the state. The CM made this proposal while inaugurating a new facility of AIG Hospitals in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad on Wednesday.

He urged both medical practitioners practicing in corporate hospitals here and those residing abroad to dedicate one month every year. Revanth Reddy emphasized that true professional satisfaction comes from serving the underprivileged. He announced that the Telangana government will soon launch a dedicated platform to facilitate the voluntary participation of doctors, especially NRIs, who wish to serve during their visits to India.

The portal will help connect willing doctors with state-run hospitals such as NIMS, Osmania, and Gandhi, allowing them to choose their location and time of service in coordination with the Health Department.

The Chief Minister pointed out that many Telugu native doctors visiting Hyderabad to meet their families often express a desire to serve the local community but lack a formal channel to do so. “Even a single consultation can change a life,” he said, urging the medical fraternity to contribute “one patient, one month, one mission at a time.”

The initiative aligns with Telangana’s ambitious ‘Telangana Rising – 2047’ vision, which aims to make the state a $1 trillion economy, with healthcare being a key growth driver.

Vision for Medical Tourism

CM Revanth Reddy also laid out an expansive vision for positioning Hyderabad as a global medical tourism hub. He noted that patients from 66 countries are already coming to AIG Hospitals for treatment, which he termed a “matter of pride” for Telangana.

He revealed that the state's 2047 vision document will feature Health Tourism as a dedicated chapter, and efforts are being made to attract international patients by enhancing infrastructure and global partnerships. To strengthen cancer care, Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu has been appointed as an advisor, and the CM requested Dr. Nageshwar Reddy to join as a partner in the state's healthcare planning process.

Highlighting the government’s efforts to strengthen public healthcare, Revanth Reddy announced the construction of five new government hospitals, including a new Osmania Hospital at Goshamahal. Once completed, these facilities will add 7,000 new beds to the state’s healthcare system.

He reiterated the state’s commitment to provide free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh under Aarogyasri and noted that Telangana had allocated Rs 11,500 crore for healthcare and Rs 21,500 crore for education in the current budget. The CM also proposed the creation of Health Profile Cards with unique IDs for Self-Help Group (SHG) women to promote preventive healthcare and reintroduce a family doctor system.

Applauding Dr. Nageshwar Reddy for his contributions to the field of gastroenterology, the Chief Minister congratulated him for making AIG Hospitals a world-class institution and praised the Centre for awarding him the Padma Vibhushan. He expressed his personal commitment to advocate for Dr. Reddy’s nomination for Bharat Ratna, calling him a pride of Hyderabad and Telangana.

Revanth Reddy urged the private medical sector to support government initiatives and emphasized the need for collaborative public-private partnerships in the healthcare sector to ensure affordable, quality healthcare and education for all.