Hyderabad, Jul 11: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi, MP has said that saving lives is more important than saving heritage, referring to Osmania General Hospital controversy.

Speaking after inaugurating the 23-bed Covid ward at the Indo-US Hospital premises at Malakpet here on Sunday, Mr. Owaisi said “if you want to save heritage, save it, but if you want to save lives, and save money, we need a new building for Osmania General Hospital,” a release here said.

He said “the shortage of beds and ventilators cost us many lives during the second wave and Covid treatment is expensive.

And hospitals like these (Indo-US Hospital, Osmania General Hospital) can help patients save their hard-earned money during this time of crisis. “Doctors and nurses risk their lives to save Covid patients by choosing to work in Covid wards”, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP said.

‘We must be prepared for the third wave, but I hope that it does not come. It is imperative to focus on hospitals in times like these, he said, referring to the Osmania General Hospital controversy.

“The condition of Osmania General Hospital has been deteriorating with every passing day. It needs a built-up area of 20 lakh square feet.

The AIMIM President said people criticizing his party for supporting the Osmania General Hospital’s new building are neither aware of the situation at the hospital nor have ever visited it for treatment.”

He said one must support the movement for building the new Osmania General Hospital building and added “when the Chief Minister can demolish the Warangal Jail and build two towers in its place, [why not] Osmania Hospital Medical College [which] is the oldest medical college in the country, which has given us countless doctors in different disciplines.

“The annual number of surgeries has come down from 90,000 to 45,000 at Osmania General Hospital. We will not let the government escape the Osmania General Hospital issue, by citing heritage concerns”, Mr. Owaisi said.

He assured to extend cooperation to the Sahayata Trust-run Indo-US hospital to further improve healthcare infrastructure and Covid preparedness facilities with the help of his MPLADS funds. (UNI)