Andhra Pradesh Govt enhances Aarogyasri limit to Rs 25 lakh

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the medical and health department officials to instil confidence among people that all Aarogyasri card holders can avail free medical treatment up to Rs 25 lakh under YSR Aarogyasri.

At a review meeting on the launching of the extended Aarogyasri scheme held at the camp office in Tadepalli on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said, “The State Government has a responsibility to extend the benefits of health and education to people as a matter of right. Any eligible person who is in need of medical treatment for any ailment can avail it free of cost up to Rs. 25 lakh under Aarogyasri.”

YS Jagan said that the extended beneficial YSR Aarogyasri scheme would be launched on December 18 and MLAs would participate in the follow-up programmes being held in villages in every constituency from the next day, he said. The State Government would enhance the free medical treatment limit to Rs. 25 lakh with humanity and officials also should act with responsibility in extending the benefit to necessary people with a humanistic approach to implement the historic decision, he added.

The Chief Minister said that whoever undergoes medical treatment under Aarogyasri should be given Rs. 300 towards charges when they go to doctors again for follow-up consultation. Similarly, patients identified in Jagananna Arogya Suraksha should also be given Rs. 500 each to visit hospitals, he said. A specially developed video on availing free medical treatment under Aarogyasri should be made available to volunteers, secretariat staff and officials of health department besides making it accessible to all people, he suggested.

YS Jagan asked the officials to construct residential quarters for the specialist doctors working in the Government hospitals. The department was printing new Aarogyasri cards and these would be distributed to all households across the State. Officials were planning to complete the distribution by January end. That apart, a massive public awareness campaign would be launched on availing free medical treatment under Aarogyasri and ANMs, CHOs, ASHA workers, volunteers, enthusiasts, people’s representatives and women police would participate in the massive campaign, he said.

“The officials will help people download the Disha App besides hand holding the patients being treated under Aarogyasri and handing over medicines to them,” the Chief Minister said. Asking the officials to launch the second phase of the Jagananna Arogya Suraksha from January 1, the Chief Minister told them to conduct one Suraksha camp in a village in each mandal in rural areas and one camp in a ward in urban areas every week.

Referring to medical treatment being extended to kidney patients in Uddanam area, YS Jagan said that facilities should be extended to kidney patients in other areas also by making available all necessary medicines in village health clinics which would be operated by family doctors. The treatment facilities being made available in Palasa should also be made available in the medical college at Markapur, he told the officials.

The Chief Minister called upon the doctors to support the kidney patients by conducting necessary tests and extending treatment. The Urology department should also be established along with Nephrology sections in all new medical colleges, he added. Special Chief Secretary (Medical and Health) MT Krishna Babu, AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad commissioner Dr S. Venkateswar, YSR Aarogyasri CEO DK Balaji and senior officials were among those present.