Health check ups for all: CM Jagan to implement family doctor across AP on April 6th

Amaravati: Over 69.64 lakh people availed Family Doctor concept in Andhra Pradesh since October 2022. The official launch of the Family Doctor concept in Andhra Pradesh will be launched by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on April 6, at an event in Chilakaluripeta constituency, Palnadu District.

A pilot project was launched on October 2022.

So far, a total of 12,14,132 cases of Hypertension and 8,91,218 diabetics cases were confirmed by the family doctor and efforts are on to provide continuous medication to them free of cost. Similarly, 11, 852 cases of moderate and severe anemic cases were identified in pregnant women, and they are treated with Iron sucrose injections and blood transfusions as per requirement.

In a statement given, Principal Secretary, of Health Medical & Family Welfare, M.T Krishna Babu said, "Under the family doctor concept, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) screening is done in all the villages to have information regarding various diseases prevailing in the community. Screening for NCD is completed for 92% of the above 30 years age population. This will ensure information to the family doctor about the prevalence of various diseases before the visit"

“Family Doctor program is helping the rural population to get health services in their village itself. As the doctor is mapped to the village and visits the village twice a month, people can connect to the Doctor”, Krishna Babu said.

Features of the family doctor concept:

-Family Doctor along with the health team visits Anganwadi Centers to conduct Antenatal & Postnatal checkups.

- Medical officer app is deployed to digitally capture the details of diagnosis, and the issue of drugs and to ensure follow-up in case of NCD management.

-Doctors have been appointed at 1,149 PHCs with additional 175 doctors being put on reserve.

- The Government has sanctioned 10,032 Dr. YSR Rural Health clinics, each covering average of 2,500 population.

- To improve the quality of Health Services, one CHO with BSc (Nursing) graduate is recruited for all rural Health Clinics. Additionally, each clinic is provided with one ANM & 4-6 ASHA Workers.

- 67 drugs & 14 Diagnostics are made available on regular basis.

-The availability of drugs has been increased to 105.

-Tele consultation with a video facility is provided in each Village Health Clinic to get Consultation from PHC Doctors & Specialists from Hub at District Level as per necessity.

- 8,500 Buildings (Village Health Clinics) at an estimated cost of Rs. 21.3 Lakhs per building were sanctioned to provide good quality Health Services including residential accommodation for ANM.

-Arogyasri referral services will also be included in the duties of the ‘Family Doctor’ program.

Process of family doctor:

-The family doctor & the team will provide services in the village from 9 am to 4 pm.

-PHCs were re-organized to ensure 2 PHCs in each Mandal or 1 PHC & 1 PHC allocated with CHC covering approximately 2000 population each.

-Each PHC is provided with 2 doctors and 12 other paramedical staff to ensure a better quality of preventive Health Care.

-Each doctor is mapped with 6-7 village secretariats to ensure visits to the same village as per schedule twice a month.

-A dedicated mobile phone with a fixed number is provided to each of the medical officers which will be publicized in the village to enable the people to call the Doctor in case of emergency.

-Medical officer app is deployed to digitally capture the details of diagnosis, and the issue of drugs and to ensure follow-up in case of NCD management.