AP to invest Rs 17,300 crore on health services, infrastructure

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government would be spending Rs 17,300 crore to revamp the existing government hospitals and for setting up 16 new medical colleges in the state under the Nadu-Nedu initiative.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who held a review meeting on the initiative, here on Thursday, directed officials to finalise the tenders for new medical colleges by January.

The chief minister sought details on the establishment of new medical colleges, development of village clinics, primary healthcare centres (PHCs), community health centres, area hospitals and district-level hospitals under the Nadu-Nedu initiative. Reiterating that all the hospitals in the state should have better medical facilities, the chief minister said that there will be no compromise on the quality of infrastructure or the services being provided in the hospitals. He stated that the hospital authorities should be accountable and responsible in all aspects and directed them to ensure that all facilities are in place, and make sure that patients coming to the hospitals should experience the feel of corporate hospitals. He said that there shouldn’t be any complaints about sanitation or other facilities.

He instructed the authorities to study the best practices in the construction of hospitals and implement them in the state. In addition to these, the chief minister also stressed about following environment friendly initiatives and setting up of green buildings. He directed the authorities to immediately release Rs 5,472 crore for revamping the existing hospitals under the programme.

Meanwhile, the officials informed that the tenders for medical colleges in Paderu, Piduguralla, Machilipatnam and Pulivendula, will be finalised by the end of November, and for Bapatla, Narsapuram, Eluru, Anakapalli, Markapuram, Madanapalle and Nandyal medical colleges the tenders will be done by December. Similarly, tenders for Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Penukonda, Amalapuram and Adoni medical colleges will be finalised by January. For all these medical colleges it is estimated that Rs 7,500 crore will be utilised.

Discussing the Aarogyasri referral programme, Jagan stated that the village/ward secretariats will be acting as referral centres on a temporary basis until the establishment of YSR Health Clinics. The list of empanelled hospitals has to be displayed at all secretariats and the health assistant or ANM will be guiding the patients in receiving treatment from the best hospital. As the Aarogyasri programme will be made available to the remaining six districts from 13 November, the chief minister directed the authorities to add any treatment or procedures to the list if necessary.

Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, minister of health, Nilam Sawhney, chief secretary and other officials were present on the occasion.