Visakhapatnam: King George Hospital (KGH) will be developed on a par with AIIMS in Delhi, assured Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Inaugurating the Centenary Alumni Building (CAB) near Panigal block of the Andhra Medical College and unveiling the plaque of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Auditorium in Visakhapatnam on April 26 (Saturday), the Chief Minister expressed concern over how medical expenses continue to touch roof for the common man and underlined the need to bring them down as it would be a gamechanger. “Patients should get admitted to a hospital to get cured rather than ending up in the premises for days. Doctors should treat patients and cure them as soon as they get admitted to the hospital,” Naidu emphasised.

The state government is working towards achieving zero poverty by 2029, Naidu reiterated. For this to become a reality, the CM said people are considered as capital. “Efforts are taken to ensure that Telugus gain the top position in various fields they have embarked upon by 2047. Apart from achieving the highest per capita, measures are also taken to achieve a happy, healthy and wealthy society,” the CM stressed.

Terming the doctors profession as the most dedicated and committed one, Naidu said, “Even as knowledge is important for the doctors, it is also equally imperative for them to embrace technology and students should consider technology upgradation as an effective tool to keep themselves updated,” the Chief Minister underlined.

In the YSRCP’s tenure, a matching grant was not provided by the state government for the establishment of the CAB. “Despite the challenges faced, the AMC alumni were able to build the CAB with commitment and determination,” he appreciated. With Bhogapuram International Greenfield Airport, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, steel plant of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, TCS, Cognizant and Google coming up, Naidu said, the landscape of Visakhapatnam is set to transform completely. In the days to come, Visakhapatnam is going to be the financial capital of Andhra Pradesh, the CM expressed confidence.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav highlighted that the Chief Minister focuses more on the health sector. This apart, the CM is also keen on implementing advanced technology like AI, Machine Learning and Centre of Excellence.

Terming the CAB as an architectural tribute which is made possible by the alumni of the AMC, the college’s Principal Dr. Sandhya Devi said the old students contributed Rs 50 crore to mark the centenary milestone.