Jagan seeks CM Naidu’s nod for five new medical college

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has called upon Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to expedite the approval process for five newly proposed medical colleges, ensuring they can commence classes this academic year. He also urged the immediate release of the remaining funds for the timely completion of ongoing medical college projects.
In a post on the social media platform X, YS Jagan urged CM Naidu to leverage his influence with the central government to secure the necessary permissions without further delay. He criticised Naidu’s administration for neglecting the state’s public health sector, asserting that CM Naidu is deliberately ignoring crucial medical infrastructure development. YS Jagan stated that the failure to prioritise the commencement of the five new medical colleges, which were scheduled to begin classes this year, is evidence of the inefficiency of the Naidu government.
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy outlined key healthcare reforms introduced during his tenure, including the establishment of village and ward clinics, the family doctor initiative, enhanced services through 108 and 104 ambulances, and the expansion of the Aarogyasri scheme to cover 3,257 treatments. He also highlighted the Aarogya Asara initiative, which provides financial aid during recovery. Additionally, Rs. 16,880 crores have been invested in hospital infrastructure under the “Nadu-Nedu” programme, and Rs. 8,480 crores allocated for constructing 17 medical colleges, one for each parliamentary constituency.
He noted that during the 2023-24 academic year, five medical colleges in Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Machilipatnam, and Nandyal successfully began classes, adding 750 MBBS seats and benefiting students from underprivileged backgrounds. He further mentioned that classes for five additional colleges in Paderu, Markapuram, Madanapalle, Pulivendula, and Adoni were scheduled to begin in the 2024-25 academic year. He remarked that despite Naidu’s alliance with the BJP, which leads the central government, he has been unable to secure the required approvals, leading to the loss of an additional 750 seats. He also highlighted how Naidu had ignored the promise made during the elections to fill all medical seats in new colleges under the convener quota.
YS Jagan also criticised Naidu’s preference for privatisation, accusing him of transforming the public healthcare sector into a system that prioritises private interests over the welfare of the common people. He warned that such policies would result in unaffordable healthcare services for the general
public.