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 administration rather than through the Public-Private Partnership model.
Health activists have expressed concern over the possible privatisation of the State’s healthcare system. Although Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav earlier assured that the administration of the colleges would remain with the government, PAV says the apprehensions persist.
In their letter dated November 22, PAV members questioned the need to involve private entities when the government already owns the land, has budgetary allocations, and has statutory mechanisms for faculty recruitment and regulatory oversight. If full administrative control is to stay with the government, they asked, what purpose would private participation serve.
They argued that a fully government-funded and government-run model ensures complete public accountability and prevents profit-driven decisions from influencing admissions, fees, quality of education, or patient care. Even with administrative control retained by the government, the PPP model could still result in the transfer of valuable public assets and future revenue streams to private players, they cautioned.
Citing these concerns, PAV requested the Chief Minister to withdraw the proposal to construct ten medical colleges under the PPP model and to cancel the ongoing tender process for four colleges. They urged the State government to adopt the proven model followed in existing government medical colleges and operationalise the new institutions entirely through public funds, staff, and administration.
Published – November 23, 2025 08:07 pm IST
