Andhra Pradesh: Jagan officially launches Family Doctor Programme

Palnadu: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy officially launched the Family Doctor Programme on Thursday. Under the scheme, qualified doctors in 10,032 Dr. YSR village health clinics will extend preventive health care to the needy across the state.

Launching the programme on Thursday, Jagan said the programme will herald revolutionary changes in extending health care to the needy.

Besides visiting bed-ridden people and treating them, family doctors will provide free medical treatment to people suffering from both communicable and non-communicable diseases and to lactating mothers and anaemic school children and women. Family doctors will refer the patients in need of advanced medical treatment to Aarogyasri Network Hospitals while YSR health clinics will extend post-treatment health care to such patients.

“With one primary health centre (PHC) serving every 2,500 people, the family doctor programme will soon turn the state into a role model for other states in preventive health care,” said Jagan.

YSR village health clinics, to be manned by community health officers (CHOs), ANMs (Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives), and ASHA (Accredited Social Health Assistants) workers, will be equipped with 105 kinds of medicines, lab facilities to conduct 14 kinds of diagnostic tests, and 936 mobile medical units (104).

The phone numbers and other details of the doctors will be displayed at the village secretariats which will maintain health records and ensure that the medical services are available round the clock.

Further speaking, the Chief Minister asked the people to see the difference between the TDP and YSRCP in health, education, and other sectors. “While the number of network hospitals under YSR Aarogyasri went up to 2,261 from 914 during YSRCP’s rule, 3,57,1596 people benefitted under the scheme in the last 45 months,” he said.

48,639 jobs created

The Andhra Pradesh government has so far created 48,639 jobs in medical and health sectors alone, filling up 100 percent vacancies of lab technicians, general physicians, and staff nurses and 96.31% vacancies of specialist doctors besides constructing 17 new medical colleges and keeping stocks of 562 sorts of WHO standard medicines in government hospitals.

Funds granted for new projects

In response to the appeal of the minister for medical and health, V. Rajani, the Chief Minister granted Rs. 63 crores to expedite the drinking water project at Chilakaluripet and sanctioned the construction of Ambedkar Bhavan and community bhavans for BCs and Kapus.

He instructed the district collector to provide the necessary three-acre land for a Muslim burial ground.