AP budget 2022: State prioritises health, hikes allotment by 11.23% to Rs. 15,384.26 cr
The Andhra Pradesh government has allocated Rs. 15,384.26 crore for health, medical, and family welfare in budget 2022-23. This is 11.23% higher than the allocation in 2021-22.
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi Published on 11 March 2022 2:14 PM GMT
Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has allocated Rs. 15,384.26 crore for health, medical, and family welfare in budget 2022-23. This is 11.23% higher than the allocation in 2021-22.
Andhra Pradesh finance minister Buggana Rajendranath presented the state budget in the Assembly on Friday.
Under the supplementary nutrition programme, six lakh pregnant women and lactating mothers, 16 lakh children aged 6-36 months, and 13 lakh children aged 36-72 months age are benefiting. The state government is spending Rs. 1,560 crore over and above the Central government allocation for women and child welfare programmes, said the minister.
Further, the percentage of children in the age group 9-11 months who are fully immunized has increased from 67% in 2014-15 to 100% in 2021-22. As per the government, the maternal mortality rate has reduced from 74 in 2019-20 to 59 per one lakh births in 2021-22. The under-five mortality rate has reduced from 41 in 2019-20 to 14 per 1,000 live births in 2021-22. The percentage of institutional deliveries out of the total deliveries reported has increased from 67% in 2019-20 to 99.87% in 2021-22.
YSR Aarogya Aasara programme
Under YSR Aarogya Aasara programme, the AP government has spent Rs. 732.16 crore to treat 2,09,765 patients. For 2022-23, Rs. 2,000 crore has been allocated for YSR Aarogyasri programme and Rs. 300 crore for YSR Aarogya Asara programme.
The Chief Minister revamped the YSR Aarogyasri programme in 2019 by expanding network hospitals from 919 to 1,757, increasing procedures from 1,059 to 2,446. As per the National Family Health Survey ā Round 4, the percentage of households in Andhra Pradesh with a member covered by a health scheme or health insurance has increased from 74.6% in 2019-20 to 91.27% in 2021-22.
104 services
The 104 and 108 services have been revamped and the number of 104 mobile medical units has increased from 292 to 656, allocated one per mandal. Budget 2022-23 has allocated Rs. 140 crore for 104 services and Rs. 133.19 crore for 108 services.
They provide 20 services, including all NCD and CD screenings, and are equipped with 29 types of equipment, including ECG and medicines. Similarly, the 108 ambulances fleet has increased to 768 and the ambulance to population ratio has improved from 1: 1,19,595 to 1: 74,609. Also, recognising the deficiency of primary health care in urban areas, the government has sanctioned 560 YSR Urban Clinics in 120 urban local bodies, the minister added.
New hospitals/medical colleges
In order to improve healthcare facilities in tribal areas, the state government has sanctioned five multi-speciality hospitals at Seethampeta, Parvathipuram, RC Varam, Buttaigudem, and Dornala. A Tribal Medical College has been sanctioned at Paderu. These projects will be completed within two years.
The state government is also setting up 16 new teaching hospitals to boost health infrastructure and is revamping government hospitals under the Nadu-Nedu programme with a budget allocation of Rs. 1,603 crore for the same.
Other budget allocations include Rs. 753.84 crore for new medical colleges, Rs. 320 crore for establishing new medical colleges and hospitals in plain areas, Rs. 170 crore for multi-speciality hospitals in tribal areas, and Rs. 2462.30 crore for National Health Mission. Also, to increase medical seats in government medical colleges, the government has allocated Rs. 100 crore.
