December Roundup: YSRCP Govt Boosts Health Sector in 2023

Amaravati: Public health system in the State has received a booster dose during the year with Jagananna Suraksha camps fanning out to every nook and corner to get the people's pulse and hiking YSR Aarogyasri limit to Rs 25 lakhs besides developing infrastructure at Uddanam and other places besides taking forward the Family Doctor concept, to name a few. 

The year witnessed Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy paying keen attention to the health sector with the implementation of Family Doctor concept and village clinics and Jagananna Arogya Suraksha camps to provide health care services to the people.

To make YSR Aarogyasri more accessible to weaker sections, the Chief Minister  increased medical treatment cost limit to Rs. 25 lakh besides enhancing the number of ailments and procedures being treated under the scheme to 3,255.

To meet the growing requirements under YSR Aarogyasri services, the Chief Minister has also launched newly built medical colleges at Vizianagaram, Machilipatnam, Rajahmundry, Eluru and Nandyala taking the total number of medical seats in Government colleges to 2,935 from the existing 2,185 besides allotting Rs. 3,280 crore under Nadu-Nedu for upgrading the existing 11 medical colleges. While work on constructing 12 new medical colleges is in full swing, the Government has also sanctioned more nursing colleges adding an additional strength of 1,200 seats.

The year added a special page in the State history as the Chief Minister inaugurated the kidney research centre and super speciality hospital at Palasa in Srikakulam district ending the anxiety of North Andhra people over the increasing incidence of kidney ailments in Uddanam area.

A massive awareness campaign was scheduled in two phases on how to get free medical treatment at 2,295 hospitals under the scheme. Aarogyasri brochures containing detailed information on availing free medical services have been extensively distributed to people.The campaign, coincided with distribution of 1,42,34,464 new Aarogyasri cards, brought awareness among people on treatment procedures being followed at various hospitals and the access route.

Nearly 13 lakh people have undergone free medical treatment this year under Aarogyasri, registering a high of 25 per cent compared to last year.  During the frequent reviews on the medical and health sector, the Chief Minister, having  a keen eye on detail, insisted on Ragi Malt in Jagananna Goru Muddha to upgrade nutrition levels among students.

With the first phase of Jagananna Aarogya Suraksha camps covering major portions of rural and urban areas, the Medical and Health Department has conducted 6.4 crore rapid medical tests covering 1.44 crore families. The Aarogya Suraksha was helpful to commoners as 78,292 were identified with defection eye in eye sight. Of  them, 13,614 had undergone cataract surgeries while 7,272 were treated for other ailments.

With the daily monitoring of 104 and 108 services and linking the family doctor services and village clinics to YSR Aarogyasri, both preventive and curative health care systems have grown by leaps and bounds and became role models for other states.

The innovative family doctor concept, the brainchild of the Chief Minister, is being implemented with the close coordination of PHCs, ANMs, CHOs, ASHA workers and village clinics which are equipped with 105 types of medicines and 14 types of diagnostic kits to conduct medical tests.
Family doctors and village clinics will also focus on eliminating anaemia and malnutrition among children and pregnant women and lactating mothers paving the way for a healthy society.

Government has taken steps to ensure that only WHO or GMP authorised medicines are served to patients in hospitals while maintaining enough stocks of medicines and surgical equipment in all hospitals, village clinics and PHCs. All these reforms have turned the State into a role model in the country in the public health system. The current year has seen a major boost to the health sector.

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