Govt hospitals record sharp growth in services in last 2 years: Minister

Vijayawada: Stating that the government achieved significant improvements in the public healthcare system over the last two years, health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Saturday said attendance among doctors and medical staff in government hospitals has increased by 28%, resulting in better patient care and higher utilisation of health services across the state.Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada and furnishing a report on the coalition government’s two-year performance in the health sector, the minister said staff attendance in government hospitals rose from 65.36 percent in 2023-24 to 83.75 percent in 2025-26. The improvement has translated into a substantial increase in outpatient and inpatient services, surgeries and diagnostic tests, he said.According to the report, surgeries performed in government hospitals increased by 37.38 percent, from 15.13 lakh in 2023-24 to 20.79 lakh in 2025-26.

Diagnostic tests witnessed an even sharper rise of 56.14 percent, increasing from 7.98 crore to 12.47 crore during the same period.The minister attributed the turnaround to stricter monitoring and accountability measures introduced by the government. He said disciplinary action against absentee staff, including the termination of 51 senior doctors who remained absent for prolonged periods, helped improve attendance and service delivery.

Highlighting growing public confidence in government healthcare facilities, he said patient footfall has increased significantly, prompting the government to establish 168 additional outpatient counters in teaching hospitals over the last two years.Citing examples from across the state, he said OP services increased by 31% at Madhurawada PHC in Vizianagaram district and by 23 percent at Kolli PHC in Kurnool district.

At Cheepurupalli Area Hospital, OP services rose by 20 percent, inpatient services by 16 percent and diagnostic tests by 43%. Palamaneru Area Hospital recorded a 33% rise in OP services and a 67% increase in diagnostic tests.Among teaching hospitals, RUIA Hospital in Tirupati reported a 39 percent increase in OP services, while surgeries increased by 38 percent at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, and by 53 percent at Kurnool GGH.Rebuking former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s allegations that the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva scheme had weakened under the coalition government. He said the average number of beneficiaries increased from eight lakh annually during the previous government to 14 lakh under the present dispensation, marking a 70 percent rise. Annual expenditure under the scheme also increased from Rs 2,315 crore to Rs 3,805 crore, he added.On emergency medical services, Satya Kumar Yadav said response times of 108 ambulances have improved considerably. The average response time in urban areas has reduced from 27.03 minutes during the previous government to 17.34 minutes under the coalition administration. With the introduction of the Golden Hour protocol, ambulances now transport patients to hospitals within an hour in 95 percent of cases, compared to 34 percent earlier, he said.