YS Jagan wants awareness campaign on Arogyasri from September 15

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the Medical and Health Department officials to launch a massive public awareness campaign from September 15, 2023 on YSR Aarogyasri services.

At a review meeting held at his camp office in Tadepalli on Thursday, the Chief Minister suggested the officials publish a booklet on how to make use of Aarogyasri services and receive medical treatment. The booklets should be distributed to all households so that every family would have a proper understanding of Aarogyasri, he said.

YS Jagan said that the services of volunteers, village and ward secretariat staff, village clinics, ANMs and ASHA workers should be available in creating awareness among people about how to get medical treatment under Aarogyasri from the nearest or network hospitals in the event of accidents or falling sick. “It is not just dissemination of detailed information to the people but it should also help them in making efficient use of Aarogyasri services. There should not be a single person who doesn’t know how to make use of Aarogyasri,” he said.

Since the number of ailments and procedures being treated under Aarogyasri had gone up to 3,255 from 1,000 during the TDP rule, the Chief Minister said that awareness should be created not only through mobile apps but also through other sources like call centres and booklets. Grievance-handling phone numbers also should be publicised so that people would be able to lodge complaints in case of problems or when they come across corrupt staff. Aarogyasri network hospitals should conduct health camps in their jurisdiction with the coordination of village clinics and village and ward secretariat staff, YS Jagan said.

Taking stock of the progress of new medical colleges, the Chief Minister suggested to the officials a proper policy for efficient running of new medical colleges and Government hospitals. The policy should aim at solving the paucity of funds as proper management of medical colleges and speciality hospitals is as important as their construction, YS Jagan said. He added that funds reimbursed by the Government to the network hospitals under Aarogyasri could be made use of for their maintenance.

Similarly, Government educational institutions should also make use of the part of funds reimbursed under fee reimbursement for their maintenance, he said. The Chief Minister also asked officials to develop SOPs to enable hospitals to pay the post- treatment expenses to patients under Aarogya Asara on the discharge day.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that new medical colleges were receiving tremendous response from students. Students were joining new medical colleges even for pursuing self-finance courses, they said. While admissions would take place in the new medical colleges at Vizianagaram, Machilipatnam, Rajahmundry, Eluru and Nandyala this year, the new colleges at Pulivendula, Paderu, Adoni, Markapur and Madnapalle would begin admissions next year. The officials also said other medical colleges would be ready by 2025-26. YS Jagan asked the officials to expedite the construction of new medical colleges at Parvathipuram and Palakollu.