Maharashtra delegation lauds AP's health schemes

Vijayawada: A team from Maharashtra led by Dr Swapnil Lale, director-1, Mumbai, praised health programmes initiated by AP government, including the family doctor programme, Aarogyasri, Nadu-Nadu, recruitment of health staff, and those aimed at the welfare of women and children.

During the delegation's visit here on Wednesday, health commissioner J. Nivas informed the delegation about how the state government, led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was implementing several health schemes, and how the family doctor programme was assisting health services to reach people in villages.

He stated that the state government spent a massive Rs.3,000 crore each year under the Aarogyasri scheme to offer health care to patients and that the government had budgeted Rs.500 crore exclusively for comprehensive cancer care under the Aarogyasri scheme. The health commissioner informed the delegation that they had so far recruited 49,639 health staff in the state and that five new medical institutions would begin classes in the state during the current academic year.

He stated that people who underwent surgery under the Aarogyasri plan would be given Rs.5,000 once they were freed from the hospital and returned home. The group will go on a field trip to see how the family doctor programme and Aarogyasri are being implemented on the ground. M.T. Krishna Babu, special chief secretary for health, later met with the team. Ashok Atram, joint secretary for public health in Maharashtra, is part of the delegation, as is Dr Taragatushar Santa Ware, deputy director, and civil surgeon Dr Dipchand Soyam.