Rs 16,000 crore being spent to strengthen healthcare: Minister Alla Nani

Vijayawada: Minister for health and family welfare Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani) said the state government was spending Rs 16,000 for strengthening the medical and health services in the state under Naadu-Nedu programme. Primary health centres (PHCs), district hospitals, area hospitals and general hospitals will be developed and modernised in a phased manner.

The minister participated in the discussion on medical and health and Covid-19 pandemic in the state on Friday, the last day of the five-day winter session of Legislature. Alla Nani said the state government had expanded the Aarogyasri network services by increasing the number of procedures under the scheme from 1,059 to 2,436 and bringing in treatment for Covid, dengue and cancer under its purview.

He further said patients under the Aarogyasri can undergo treatment in 1,246 empanelled hospitals in Andhra Pradesh and 137 corporate hospitals in cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru in neighbouring states. The state government has released Rs 631 crore for network hospitals under Aarogyasri, he said while reminding that during the previous TDP government medical bills to the tune of Rs 477 crore were kept pending.

The medical and health minister said the YSRCP government had released the bills to the hospitals to help the people get treatment in these hospitals. Contract workers and outsourcing workers working in various state government departments can take treatment under Aarogyasri. He recalled the empanelled hospitals were unwilling to treat the Aarogyasri cardholders during the TDP rule due to non-payment of bills. People with income levels up to Rs 5 lakh per year can take the treatment under the Aaarogyasri, he said and added that financial assistance of Rs 225 per day was given to patients suffering from some diseases.