Praja Arogya Vedika opposes government’s PPP model for medical colleges

Members of the Praja Arogya Vedika have opposed the State government’s recent decision to implement a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh.

The decision to shift 10 out of the 17 previously government-initiated medical colleges to the PPP model, as well as establishing new colleges under this framework, is a matter of grave concern, they said, in a note released to the media recently.

Healthcare should remain firmly under the government control to ensure equitable access and prevent the commercialisation of essential services, they said, adding that the protection of people’s health is the paramount responsibility of the government and entrusting healthcare, particularly medical education, to private entities through a PPP model raises serious concerns.

The members said the privatisation of medical education will compromise people’s Right to Health and lead to increased costs, making it inaccessible to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and ultimately impacting the availability of affordable healthcare professionals.

Shifting resources and control to private entities will also undermine the government’s ability to strengthen and expand the public healthcare system, they said, demanding that the decision to implement the PPP model be revoked immediately.

They said if the government wants to prioritise strengthening of the public healthcare system, it should reconsider the decision and uphold the promises made during the election campaign, including its commitment to oppose self-financing seats.