Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) has written to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu urging the government to develop the proposed new government medical colleges entirely with public funding and management rather than through a public-private partnership model.
Health activists have expressed concern over the possible privatization of state healthcare. Although Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Minister Satya Kumar Yadav had earlier assured that the administration of colleges would remain with the government, PAV says concerns remain.
In their November 22 letter, PAV members questioned the need to involve private entities when the government already owns the land, has allocated budgetary resources and has legal mechanisms for staffing and regulatory oversight. If full administrative control was to remain with the government, they asked, what purpose would private participation serve.
They argued that a fully government-funded and government-run model ensures full public accountability and prevents profit-driven decisions from influencing admissions, fees, quality of education or patient care. Even if the government retained administrative control, the PPP model could still lead to the transfer of valuable public assets and future revenue streams to private players, they warned.
Citing these concerns, the PAV asked the Chief Minister to withdraw the proposal to build ten medical colleges under the PPP model and cancel the ongoing tender process for four colleges. They urged the state government to adopt the proven model used in the existing government medical colleges and run the new institutions entirely through public funds, staff and administration.
Published – 23 Nov 2025 20:07 IST
