Public Health in AP on Sale Under Chandrababu-led Coalition Government

Former Minister Vidadala Rajini criticized the coalition government for “putting medical care on sale” in Andhra Pradesh by privatizing medical colleges and altering the Aarogyasri scheme into what she described as an unsustainable model.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, she said that during his tenure, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had carefully built a strong medical system to benefit the poorer sections of society, but Chandrababu Naidu has been dismantling it and handing the entire sector over to private players — a move that, she warned, would seriously hurt the underprivileged.

“Chandrababu is converting public health into a business model, which we strongly oppose. Once private players take over, the poor will be pushed out of the healthcare system,” she said.

Rajini pointed out that the cabinet’s decision to run medical colleges under the PPP model would badly impact poor communities who had been receiving free medical services — from consultations to tests, surgeries, and recovery.

“Jagan had planned 17 medical colleges, of which five are already functional and another five are near completion. But Chandrababu has introduced the PPP model, which will make medical education unaffordable for poor aspiring students. We had allotted and acquired land for all 17 colleges, and now this land bank is being handed on a platter to private players. This is nothing short of a scam,” she alleged.

She further accused Chandrababu of “making money at the cost of the health of the poor,” warning that such policies would widen the gap in society. “If this government continues with the PPP model, YSRCP will reverse it after coming to power,” she declared.

On Aarogyasri, Rajini said that changing it into a hybrid model is unviable as it has severe limitations. “The poor, who have so far received quality healthcare, stand to lose on multiple fronts. Under Jagan’s rule, the government spent ₹3,600 crore annually on medical care. People are now rethinking their political choices as the coalition is neglecting the health sector and failing to clear bills of network hospitals.”

She recalled that Jagan had taken medical care to the village level with the family doctor concept and village clinics, which the coalition government is now trying to erase. “YSRCP strongly opposes the privatization of medical colleges and healthcare. This move is anti-poor, anti-people, and we will fight against it,” Rajini said.

Key Facts Highlighted:

Medical Colleges: Jagan government planned 17 government medical colleges in five years.

Investment: An estimated ₹8,500 crore was allocated, with about ₹500 crore per college.

Progress: Five colleges are already functional; another five are near completion.

Healthcare Access: Jagan introduced free super-speciality services, village-level clinics, and the family doctor concept to ensure medical care reached the poor at no cost.

Allegation: Land allotted for these government colleges is now being handed over to private players, which Rajini termed a “scam.”