Andhra Pradesh is set to introduce critical care blocks (CCBs) in 24 government hospitals to enhance emergency healthcare services, especially for patients with cardiac, renal, respiratory, and other critical conditions.

By December 2023, 13 of these facilities will be operational, with the remaining 11 set for completion by August 2026. The CCBs will provide 1,275 additional beds across various hospitals. Each 50-bed CCB will feature 10 ICU beds, six mini-ICU beds, maternity, isolation, and casualty wards, along with facilities for dialysis patients. The CCBs, part of the Union government’s national initiative, are being developed under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, with a total cost of Rs 600 crore. 

These blocks will be constructed at both teaching hospitals and district hospitals in various regions of the state. The initiative aims to improve access to urgent medical care, a necessity highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.