YSRCP Slams ‘Manufactured Narrative’ on Medical College PPP, Calls Move a Betrayal of Public Healthcare

Former minister and YSR Congress Party Doctors’ Wing state president Dr. Sidiri Appala Raju launched a scathing attack on the state government and sections of what he termed the “yellow media” for, according to him, deliberately peddling a false narrative that Public–Private Partnership (PPP) is the ideal model for medical colleges.

Addressing the media at the YSRCP office in Srikakulam, Dr. Sidiri said claims that the Parliamentary Standing Committee endorsed the privatisation of government medical colleges were “blatantly misleading.” He asserted that the committee never recommended handing over existing public medical colleges to private entities and accused vested interests of twisting its observations to justify a predetermined agenda.

He clarified that the committee had merely suggested encouraging private participation through incentives, scholarships and limited capacity expansion, and, at most, exploring PPP for new initiatives — not for transferring fully built government institutions to private control. “If privatisation is the solution, will AIIMS, JIPMER or IITs also be handed over to private players?” he asked, warning that greater private dominance would make medical education unaffordable and healthcare inaccessible to the poor.

Dr. Sidiri accused the Chandrababu Naidu-led government of pushing a deeply flawed PPP model that effectively gifts public assets — land, buildings, hospitals and infrastructure — to private parties. He pointed out that under this arrangement, the government even agrees to pay staff salaries for two years, ensuring profits for private players while shifting risks and losses onto the public exchequer. “This is not development; it is a sell-out of public interest and a direct attack on the aspirations of poor students,” he said.

Questioning the government’s financial priorities, Dr. Sidiri called out the contradiction in claiming a shortage of funds for medical colleges while borrowing thousands of crores for projects such as Amaravati works, Godavari Pushkarams and high-cost road construction. He noted that the cost of building a single medical college is equivalent to just a few kilometres of such roads. He also recalled that funding options, including NABARD support, had already been secured during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure, making the current push for privatisation unnecessary and suspect.

Alleging ulterior motives, Dr. Sidiri said the real objective was to erase the legacy of the former Chief Minister and divert public institutions to private interests and benamis. He highlighted that around 257 acres of land acquired for 10 government medical colleges is now proposed to be handed over, while private managements have already been allotted PG seats and self-financing quotas with exorbitant fees.

He further flagged the state’s deteriorating fiscal health, stating that despite claims of empty coffers, the government has piled up ₹2.66 lakh crore in debt within just 18 months, pushing Andhra Pradesh towards financial instability.

Reiterating the strength of public opposition, Dr. Sidiri said the YSRCP’s statewide movement against the privatisation of medical colleges has garnered massive support, with over one crore signatures collected through a democratic campaign. He announced that district-level rallies will be held on December 15, following which the petitions will be transported to Vijayawada and formally submitted to Governor Abdul Nazeer on December 18 by former Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.