Vizag needs 52 more hospitals

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Feb 20, 2012: Government apathy towards public health is shown up by the fact that the city has just 11 health centres run by the GVMC against the World Health Organisation (WHO) norms of one hospital for every 30,000 population.

As per WHO standards, Vizag city with 21 lakh population must have around 70 hospitals. Apart from the 11 health centres of the GVMC, seven hospitals are being run by some NGOs and voluntary organisations funded by various departments of the Union government. “Requisitions for additional hospitals or at least primary health centres by many organisations and social service outfits like us alw-ays fell on the deaf ears of GVMC authorities. Not everyone can approach the single King George Hospital,” said S.B. Rao of the Forum for Better Visakha.

Allocations in the GVMC budget also show that the public health department was always given a raw deal.

Public health was allotted Rs.132.2 crore of the total Rs.1,886 crore budget for 2012-13 a meagre seven per cent of the total budget.

It was Rs.159.76 crore last year’s budget of Rs.1,997 crore and 2011-12 budget allocations were just eight per cent.

GVMC officials too lament at the number of hospitals being run in the city. “We agree that public health is being neglected. Several proposals by us are not being viewed seriously. Nobody looks to be serious on the issue,” lamented a senior GVMC official, requesting anonymity.

NGOs are also furious over the attitude of the public representatives for not raising issues of public health on any platform.

“It is unfortunate that not even a single corporator or an MLA raised the issue for a constructive debate or strived for additional hospitals,” said K.V. Ramana of Jai Bheem Foundation.