Hyderabad:The proposed PHFI Institute of Public Health Sciences (PHFI-IPHS) is expected to strengthen public health research, healthcare policy and disease surveillance in Telangana, with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy laying the foundation stone for its new campus on Saturday and setting a June 2, 2028, deadline for its completion.
The existing campus and equipment at Rajendranagar will be shifted to the new campus as the government takes up works related to the Musi river project.
The institute is expected to play a significant role in addressing public health challenges through research, evidence-based policymaking, education and capacity building. The Chief Minister said the state government would extend financial and other necessary support to the university and offered to personally serve as its brand ambassador.
Highlighting the importance of public health institutions, the Chief Minister said Telangana was giving priority to education, healthcare and industrial development to emerge as a global destination. He said institutions such as the Indian School of Business (ISB) and Nalsar University of Law had helped bring international recognition to Hyderabad and that PHFI-IPHS could play a similar role in the healthcare sector.
Telangana had considerable health data that could be used to identify disease patterns and plan interventions, he said. Referring to the state’s decision to make cancer a notifiable disease, he said patient data collected through Aarogyasri could help identify the prevalence of health conditions in different regions and support targeted healthcare interventions.
He also highlighted the impact of environmental factors on public health, particularly fluorosis in Nalgonda and pollution in the Musi river. Pollution in the Musi was affecting the health of people in the region and could also have consequences for unborn children, making its rejuvenation essential, he said.
The Chief Minister said the government was spending around Rs 2,500 crore annually through Aarogyasri and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. It was also investing about Rs 12,000 crore in healthcare infrastructure, including the development of Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) hospitals and the construction of a new Osmania General Hospital at Goshamahal.
Vice-Chancellor M. Vishnu Vardhana Rao spoke about the institution’s journey, development and research advancements. PHFI president Prof. Sanjay Zodpey described the university as a collective vision and acknowledged the support extended by the state government in establishing the institution.
Chancellor Prof. K. Srinath Reddy said the university would be locally important, nationally relevant and globally recognised. He said it would give priority to the One Health approach and address its implications for public health in Telangana. The Chief Minister also unveiled the campus master plan and reviewed the building designs, suggesting a few changes.
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