Private Hospitals’ ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ Tomorrow For Payment
Private hospitals have already stopped providing healthcare services under the NTR Vaidya Scheme from October 10: Reports
VIJAYAWADA: Private hospitals associated with the Andhra Pradesh Speciality Hospitals Association have called for “Chalo Vijayawada” on Thursday to mount pressure on the state government to resolve issues related to free healthcare services offered to people by the state government.
Managements of private hospitals have advised doctors to wear a white coat and a stethoscope. Nurses and nursing students will wear their uniforms or aprons for the Chalo Vijayawada protest. Representatives of all NTR Vaidya Seva Scheme Network Hospitals and also members of IMA, APNA, APJUDA and AP Government Doctors Association will take part in the stir.
Private hospitals have already stopped providing healthcare services under the NTR Vaidya Scheme from October 10. Their two main demands include the state government clearing ₹2,700 crore that it is due to the various private hospitals throughout the state. The other demand is to involve private hospitals in formulation of the proposed universal health insurance scheme for the entire population of Andhra Pradesh, irrespective of every citizen’s social and economic status.
But there has been no response from the state government so far.
Private hospitals say the state government has, over a period of time, increased the number of medical / surgical procedures under its scheme to 3,300; resulting in a huge financial burden on the state government. They have suggested that some healthcare services, especially for mother and child care, which contribute to 20 per cent of the cases, be dealt with only by government hospitals / medical colleges. This will reduce the financial burden on the state government.
Private hospitals claim that at present, 93.5 per cent of the population is covered under the NTR Vaidya Scheme.
A senior doctor said, “It is high time the state government comes up with a permanent solution on healthcare services being provided in the state. Only then can these services be continued in an uninterrupted manner.”
On the proposed universal health insurance scheme, which aims to cover the entire population of the state, the private hospitals have offered feedback on its financial viability and practical implementation, so that the programme could be successfully implemented.
Currently, patients throughout the state are a worried lot, as their medical / surgical procedures have been stalled over the stalemate between the private hospitals and the state government.