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Jagan seeks NRIs expertise to tone healthcare in AP

Jagan Mohan Reddy suggested to NRI doctors that they train and improve skills of over 15,000 ASHA workers

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday expressed interest in utilising expertise of NRI doctors in improving healthcare at village clinics, PHCs, mid-level health institutions and teaching hospitals in Andhra Pradesh.

A group of NRI doctors from the USA had called on the CM at his camp office and expressed their intent to extend all requisite support to the AP government in providing proper healthcare to people of the state.

Jagan Mohan Reddy suggested to NRI doctors that they train and improve skills of over 15,000 ASHA workers, so that they can help patients at grass-root levels while providing medical care. He wanted ASHA workers to be trained in dealing with high-risk pregnancies and critically ill new-borns.

The Chief Minister expressed interest in the mental healthcare programme of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). He felt trained counsellors could be assigned to schools for providing psychological first aid to school children.

Government advisor on NRI medical affairs Dr. N. Vasudeva Reddy requested the CM to include a postgraduate programme in family medicine in all medical colleges of AP. This would help promote the family doctor concept in the state in a big way.

AAPI president Dr. Ravi Kolli invited Jagan Mohan Reddy to attend the 16th Annual AAPI Global Healthcare Summit being held in Visakhapatnam from January 6 to January 8, 2023. Dr. Ravi briefed the Chief Minister about the objective of the summit to raise awareness about key health care problems that people of Indian subcontinent face, particularly diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, women and children’s health, mental health and infectious diseases.

The AAPI president said their association is keen to work with the AP Chief Minister in making AP a model state through model programmes for management of various diseases, improving health outcomes universally, training the trainer sessions involving learning modules in different specialities, and tele-consultations.

Dr. Prakash, founder president of NGO Train and Help a Baby Organisation, informed the CM that they are working to reduce neonatal mortality through prevention, treatment and follow-up. He said his organisation would like to support AP in its healthcare initiatives.

The NRI doctors also called on health minister Vidadala Rajani and briefed her about their healthcare initiatives.

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