Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha said the State aims to double its health expenditure from the present 4% of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to 8% by 2047, in line with global high-performing economies. Improved health outcomes directly contribute to productivity, economic growth and societal resilience, he said, adding that these factors are central to Telangana’s aspiration to become a $3-trillion economy by 2047.The Minister was delivering the keynote address at the healthcare panel discussion on ‘Accessible, Affordable and Equitable Healthcare for All’.The Minister said that healthcare accessibility in Telangana is being expanded through a strengthened three-tier structure. “Telangana has established 5,023 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) offering services that include maternal care, screening for non-communicable diseases and mental health support,” said the Minister listing other achievements. A network of 184 Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) hospitals is serving as a referral system for specialised care. Tertiary care infrastructure is undergoing major expansion with 35 teaching hospitals now present across all districts and 13 speciality institutions under development. Key projects include the new 2,000-bed Osmania General Hospital (OGH), modernisation of Gandhi Hospital, the ₹1,698 crore expansion of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) with 2,020 additional beds, and upgraded centres of excellence at MNJ Cancer Institute and the Institute of Mental Health, Erragadda.The Minister added that the State is emerging as an international hub for medical care, attracting more than one lakh medical tourists each year, supported by the State’s Medical Tourism Policy.Telangana is strengthening equity in healthcare through targeted programmes for women, children, adolescents, senior citizens and vulnerable groups. Telangana continues to maintain full institutional deliveries and supports maternal and child health through nutrition kits, biosensor monitoring for high-risk pregnancies, kangaroo mother care and comprehensive adolescent health services, the Minister added. Published - December 08, 2025 08:56 pm IST