Rollback govt medical colleges 'privatisation' move: Jagan tells Andhra CM

Visakhapatnam, Oct 9 (PTI) YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday demanded Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to roll back the alleged "privatisation" of proposed government medical colleges, observing that private entities will "fleece" poor people.

Reddy made this remark in front of Narsipatnam Medical College in Anakapalli district as part of his campaign against the state government's recent decision to develop 10 new government medical colleges under Public Private Partnership (PPP).

"While our government (YSRCP) had taken the initiative to bring 17 medical colleges to make medical care and education accessible to the people, Chandrababu is privatising the medical colleges and driving poorer sections away from these facilities," said Reddy, addressing a gathering outside the partially completed Narsipatnam Medical College.

Earlier, Information and Public Relations Minister K Parthasarathy had said that these 10 medical colleges were part of the 17 colleges sanctioned during the previous YSRCP government by the Centre.

Parthasarathy had noted that only seven out of the 17 colleges were constructed during the previous government, adding that the remaining 10 colleges will be constructed in two phases through PPP mode.

However, the former CM noted that poor people from seven to eight assembly constituencies will receive super specialty and multi-specialty services in the medical colleges at free of cost had they been within the government fold.

Asserting that these medical colleges will put an end to private hospitals "swindling" the poor, Reddy reminded that the foundation for the Narsipatnam college was laid on December 30, 2023 during the previous YSRCP government.

With 600 beds and 150 medical seats per year, he said this college would have changed the face of this place, easing strain on King George Hospital (KGH) in Vizag.

Under the YSRCP tenure, he said the process for setting up government medical colleges in Vizianagaram, Paderu, Parvatipuram and Narsipatnam was started. Out of these, Vizianagaram and Paderu colleges were completed and classes were also started, he said, adding that another five multi-speciality medical colleges under Integrated Tribal Development Authority (ITDA) were also under development.

He said the total medical seats would have gone up to 4,910 with 2,360 of them available free of cost to poor students and the rest at much lower fees than private colleges, ensuring access to affordable medical education and free healthcare.

He alleged that Naidu is not willing to spend Rs 500 crore on each of these medical colleges but wants to "spend Rs 2 lakh crore" on the greenfield capital city of Amaravati.

Reddy said the YSRCP will undertake outreach programmes against the alleged failures of Naidu from October 10 to November 22, including taking one crore signatures, which will be submitted to the Governor.

Likewise, he said protests would be conducted at the constituency level and at district headquarters from October 28 to November 12, among other activities.

Earlier, the former chief minister reached Vizag in a private jet from Vijayawada and was travelling to the medical college by road, a YSRCP source told PTI.

The YSRCP is fiercely opposing the alleged privatisation of the 10 government medical colleges and is regularly protesting this move.

It held a 'Chalo Medical College' (march to medical colleges) protest opposing the NDA coalition government's decision to establish the colleges in PPP model, on September 19, among other forms of agitation.

Meanwhile, TDP leader N Anand Babu criticised Reddy's opposition to the PPP mode of development of the medical colleges, especially at a time when the government lacks funds.

In a video statement, Babu alleged that Reddy is proceeding with his visits to Visakhapatnam and Narsipatnam to "incite unrest".

He accused Reddy of having "no shame or moral standing to speak about medical education or healthcare" and blamed him for the alleged mismanagement during the Covid-19 pandemic which led to "thousands of deaths." PTI STH KH