Minister Satya Kumar Yadav Vows Stronger Healthcare in Tribal Regions
Satya Kumar Yadav praised doctors working in remote tribal areas, noting their workload and limited scope for research.
Visakhapatnam: State medical and health minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Thursday said the government is strengthening healthcare infrastructure in tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh, with a special focus on Alluri Sitarama Raju district.
Addressing a meeting at Government College in Paderu, he said patient inflow in the region has increased from 1.5 lakh to 2.5 lakh per month, while referrals to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment have declined from 600 to 250 per month.
He said the objective is to ensure patients receive quality treatment locally without the need to travel long distances.
The minister cited the expansion of medical education infrastructure, including new medical colleges in Paderu, Machilipatnam and Piduguralla, as part of efforts to decentralise healthcare services.
He said the intake capacity at Paderu Medical College has been increased to 200 seats, reflecting the expansion of services.
Satya Kumar Yadav praised doctors working in remote tribal areas, noting their workload and limited scope for research.
He highlighted digital health initiatives, stating that Andhra Pradesh leads the country in electronic health records with 4.96 crore ABHA registrations and nearly 12 crore EHRs generated.
He said the “Sanjeevani” digital platform is playing a key role in citizen-focused healthcare delivery.
The minister said efforts were underway to address non-communicable diseases, with Rs 163 crore allocated for screening 56 lakh people through door-to-door diagnostic services.
He announced the construction of 239 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, along with new Primary Health Centres and Block Public Health Units under the 15th Finance Commission and PM-ABHIM schemes.
He stressed the need for early screening of cancer and anaemia and noted the establishment of research and advanced treatment facilities across the state.
Concluding his address, he lauded medical staff, describing them as the backbone of the state’s healthcare system.
