Andhra Pradesh VIPs have to buy medication in Velagapudi

Hyderabad: The AP government, which has withdrawn the NTR Vaidya Seva cover for poor patients availing medical treatment in Hyderabad, has come up with a set of rules that MLAs, MLCs and former lawmakers are displeased with.

While VIPs may continue to receive treatment and inpatient consultancy at Nims, they are forced to collect their medication from a dispensary in Velagapudi, in the AP capital. Former MLA’s and MLC’s who are ailing have complained to health minister Kamineni Srinivas about this rule because of which they are forced to travel from Hyderabad to Velagapudi for their medicines.

A former legislator said, “There are around 300 former legislators from AP living in Hyderabad. They are old, and some of them are patients. It’s unfair to ask them to travel to Velagapudi for medicines.”

Several former legislators have asked the AP government to look into their problem as well as that of medical insurance for BPL patients.

Mr Durga Prasad, commissioner of the AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishat, said, “After state division and GST, the supplier backed out saying that he couldn’t supply medicines at the former rates. We have started a dispensary in Velagapudi. We are looking into the issue.”