Hyderabad: The Telangana state government is strengthening healthcare facilities at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), with 200 intensive care unit (ICU) beds approved and set to open by mid-January.
The 200 more ICU beds will bring the total number of ICU beds accessible at the Nizam Institute to 350, according to Telangana health minister T Harish Rao, who inaugurated various new facilities at the Institute on Tuesday. Endoscopy equipment, a stem cell research centre, a physiotherapy wing, and a bone densitometer were among the amenities unveiled by the health minister.
“Previously, patients had to fight for a bed here, and more beds are now available by chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s determination to strengthen NIMS,” he said.
Another critical addition was the ventilator facility, for which poor patients previously had to struggle or end up spending lakhs of rupees. The State government is enhancing this life-saving facility by purchasing 120 new ventilators, up from 89 previously. “Instructions have been issued to make the new ventilators and ICU beds available to poor patients within the next 45 days,” Rao explained.
During the discussion, the institute’s heads of departments requested additional equipment so that NIMS could work at the level of corporate hospitals.
“Various departments have filed requests for equipment, including radiology, pathology, microbiology, biochemistry, and nephrology, for which a total of Rs.153 crore is required.” In the public sector, robotic surgery is not available. A total of Rs 154 crore has been sanctioned for new equipment, stated to the Minister.
Bone marrow transplantation is provided free of charge at NIMS under Arogyasri, and five patients are currently receiving therapy. At NIMS, a decision has also been made to establish a gynaecology section with 200 beds. This will help women who are dealing with high-risk pregnancies.
The minister stated that NIMS authorities were asked to offer suitable food to all NIMS patients, and it was agreed to speak with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) about setting up a Rs 5 meal centre for attendants.
Harish Rao cautions citizens amid Omiron threat
During the inauguration, the health minister also commented on the Omicron threat. He said, so far, no case of Omicron has been recorded in Telangana, and the administration is taking all necessary procedures and precautions.
He urged the citizens to follow essential safety standards, saying that, on the chief minister KCR orders, it was decided to increase Covid testing and perform 1 lakh tests every day.
