Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed health officials to strengthen implementation of the Arogyasri health scheme and provide medicines to patients even after their discharge from hospital. He also called for the setting up of cancer care cells in all medical colleges.
The CM gave his nod for construction of bunkers in hospitals in Srikakulam, Nellore and Ongole, upgradation of operation theatres and creation of modern facilities in pathology departments in addition to providing chemotherapy and drugs in seven old medical colleges in the state.
“Publicize the details of empanelled hospitals to enable more patients to avail the scheme in the state,” the CM said while chairing a high-level review meeting on the medical and health department with health minister Vidadala Rajani and officials here on Tuesday.
The CM asked the officials to send the ANMs to inquire about the discharged patients’ health and inform the concerned medical officer about the additional requirement for medicines for them. Give widespread publicity on Arogyasri list of empanelled hospitals and display the details in the village health clinics and secretariats via big hoardings, he said.
Jagan said there was the need to provide details of such hospitals when patients called up the 104 call center for details.
The officials informed the CM that virtual accounts were created for Arogyasri scheme beneficiaries so that the amounts credited in their accounts would be informed to the hospitals where they took treatment under the scheme.
“We are also taking a consent letter from the patients at the time of discharge with details of the healthcare provided to them. We have mentioned the ACB number of 14400 on the letter to file complaints in case of any bribe-taking in the hospitals,” officials said.
The chief minister stressed that there must be more attention on prevention, control and treatment of cancer. Officials must set up special cancer wings in all existing medical colleges as also the upcoming medical colleges.
Meanwhile, the state government accorded permission for setting up LINAC machines for cancer treatment at government hospitals in Vijayawada, Anantapur, Kakinada and Guntur.
The CM said every teaching hospital must become a centre for healthcare services in the respective district. The village clinics and every hospital located in its jurisdiction must be brought under its control so that it would help detect and provide treatment to cancer, he said.
Jagan called for providing 12 types of rapid diagnostic kits and ensuring availability of 67 types of medicines in YSR village clinics in addition to conducting tests on sanitation and quality of potable water. Reports on these must be sent to the higher-ups every month.
A special officer must be appointed in every district to monitor the family doctor programme, he said, and called for controlling anemia by providing nutritious diet to the needy through Anganwadi centres. As for institutional deliveries, the CM opined that more women were availing such services in government hospitals.
Jagan also reviewed the progress in construction of new medical colleges and implementation of the Nadu-Nedu programme in medical colleges.
