Hyderabad: The government warned that Aarogyasri-linked hospitals which were not serving patients would face action after medical establishments reportedly sent back over 10,000 out-patients and denied service to more than 1,000 in-patients as part of their agitation as the state government had failed to pay '1,200 crore in dues.
Emergency patients were given first aid on humanitarian grounds and referred to government hospitals, a source from the Telangana Aarogyasri Hospitals Association, the umbrella body of hospitals, said. A total of 250 hospitals are enrolled with Aarogyasri.
Hospitals have put up banners asking Aarogyasri patients not to come for emergency, elective, diagnostic, in-patient and out-patient services as the government has not paid dues.
The hospitals said they would take dialysis patients who had booked in advance. This has created a major furore as 80 per cent of the people are covered under Aarogyasri. According to government sources, there was a bid to release '150 crore to pacify the hospitals but hospital authorities said it was not enough as the amount was very high.
The Congress has sought the Governor’s intervention to restore Aarogyasri services.
TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said, “The Governor instead of visiting temples must visit a hospital to check the availability of services. The Governor must realise the gravity of the situation and take steps to restore the services. His silence is going to hit the people hard.”
The Aarogyasri Health Care Trust clarified that under Aarogyasri and EHS, an amount of Rs 344.00 crore was paid to hospitals during the last financial year till Nov 11, 2017. This year, an amount of '682 crore was cleared till November 11, of which an amount of Rs 150 crore was released last week.
“The government is taking every step to provide better healthcare service to people. A large number of new health initiatives have been started by the state government. It has come to the notice of the government that some private hospitals are putting people to inconvenience,” the trust said in a statement. “Any instance of any private hospital empanelled under AHCT not providing service or causing inconvenience to the patients will be viewed extremely seriously and consequential action under relevant rules will be taken along with de-empanelment under AHCT,” the Trust CEO said in a press release.
