Andhra Pradesh orders government hospitals to upgrade ICUs
The state government has set specific timelines for infrastructure development, equipment procurement, and staff recruitment to meet national ICU standards.
The Andhra Pradesh government has directed all government general hospitals to upgrade their Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to meet prescribed national standards, according to reports by Medical Dialogues and The New Indian Express.
Director of Medical Education A. Vishnuvardhan issued the orders on Friday to comply with Supreme Court directions from September 21, 2026, regarding ICU management and service guidelines from the Director General of Health Services.
Hospitals have nine months to modify the size, location, and structure of ICUs, as well as to complete the establishment of nursing stations.
The directive requires purchase orders for emergency equipment to be issued within three months, followed by a three-month period for delivery and installation. The same schedule applies to laboratory services and imaging equipment.
Additional services must be introduced within one month, while infection-control and patient-safety measures must be implemented. Facilities at patient beds are to be provided within three months.
The government has also ordered the recruitment of nurses, allied healthcare personnel, trained MBBS doctors, and specialist doctors to be completed within six months. Compliance with Level-1 ICU standards is now mandatory for all government general hospitals in the state.