Amaravati, Apr 22 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday directed officials to commence construction of medical colleges proposed under the PPP model within one month.
The CM instructed that, in phase 1, construction of four medical colleges at Markapuram, Madanapalle, Pulivendula and Adoni should begin immediately, while six colleges in Amalapuram, Bapatla, Penukonda, Narsipatnam, Palakollu and Parvathipuram should be taken up in phase 2.
“Construction of Public-Private Partnership medical colleges should commence within a month, with phase 1 and phase 2 works executed as planned across identified locations,” Naidu said in a press release.
The CM directed that the Andhra Pradesh State Health Investment Policy 2026–31, based on seven pillars including medical colleges, multispecialty hospitals, med-tech manufacturing, startups, wellness tourism, skilling and medicities, be introduced soon.
He instructed officials to write to the Union Ministry of AYUSH seeking the establishment of a naturopathy institute in Amaravati.
Naidu also reviewed the Sanjeevani (health record digitisation programme) project and population management initiatives at the Secretariat, with senior officials from the Health, Finance, Labour, and Women and Child Welfare departments in attendance.
Officials informed the CM that under the Sanjeevani initiative, over one lakh people have received medical services, medicines have been distributed to 2.8 lakh individuals, and tests have been conducted for 19,000 beneficiaries so far.
The TDP supremo emphasised preventive healthcare and citizen screening to reduce the burden of medical expenditure, while calling for the rapid expansion of the Sanjeevani project across the state.
He noted the lack of public awareness regarding health protection and stressed the need for special drives to address diseases such as anaemia and diabetes, along with improved nutrition and preventive healthcare measures.
On population trends, officials informed Naidu that the state’s fertility rate had declined from 2.1 to 1.5, with Kadapa recording the highest at 1.9 and Visakhapatnam the lowest at 1.3.
Naidu stressed the need to move from population control to population management and called for efforts to restore the fertility rate to 2.1, noting that the current level is below the replacement threshold.
He highlighted the need to strengthen the family system, discourage the micro-family culture, and promote conditions conducive to balanced demographic growth, while integrating public health and nutrition strategies.
The CM also emphasised promoting Ayurveda and naturopathy, and directed hospitals to provide dietary guidance based on individual medical records to ensure better health outcomes. PTI MS STH SSK
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