Shiva Kumar PinnaWarangal: The Telangana govt is planning to extend medical services to non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign nationals, including citizens of the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, at the upcoming 24-storey multi-super-speciality Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) hospital in Warangal.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has directed the health department to identify a suitable senior bureaucrat to serve as director (administration) of the hospital, which is expected to become operational soon. He also instructed officials to develop Telangana as a medical tourism hub by integrating the TIMS hospitals at Sanathnagar, Alwal and LB Nagar into a coordinated healthcare network.Officials are also planning to establish a dedicated 24×7 emergency care system and an expert monitoring committee to provide specialised medical support for NRIs and foreign patients.To reduce pressure on Hyderabad hospitals and provide world-class healthcare in a less congested environment, the govt plans to equip the Warangal hospital with modern medical technology and specialised treatment facilities. The hospital will also include around 50 emergency care beds to handle critical cases.MGM Hospital superintendent Dr K Ramkumar Reddy said the new facility will be equipped to treat foreign nationals requiring emergency medical care. He noted that the number of international visitors to Warangal has increased over the past four years and that several patients from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have already received treatment at state-run hospitals in the city.
