Guntur: TDP floor leader and Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishnadevarayalu on Friday raised in the Lok Sabha the need to expand integrated AYUSH healthcare infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh. He said that apart from the proposed 50-bed hospitals in Kakinada and Visakhapatnam, there is a pressing need to set up more such facilities in backward regions like Rayalaseema, Palnadu and Ongole to meet public health needs.

Highlighting that regions such as Rayalaseema and districts like Nandyal report a high prevalence of chronic diseases but have limited facilities, he stressed the importance of improving AYUSH infrastructure.

He also urged special focus on Palnadu to bridge the regional gap in access to integrated healthcare. to the recent International Yoga Day celebrations in Visakhapatnam under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, he pointed out that nearly three lakh people had participated in the event. Responding to the question, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav said that post-bifurcation, healthcare infrastructure was being reallocated in Andhra Pradesh and additional AYUSH projects are being planned. He assured that proposals for new facilities in underserved areas will be considered in future expansion plans to make AYUSH systems widely accessible across the State.