Aarogyasri Network Hospitals’ managements to resume all healthcare services
Vijayawada: The Aarogyasri Network Hospitals’ managements have decided to resume all healthcare services with immediate effect following an assurance given by Chief Secretary Dr K.S. Jawahar Reddy during their meeting on Friday that Rs 300 crore will be released in the next week.
Earlier in the day, a statement from Dr YSR Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust chief executive officer Dr G. Lakshmisha said that all the network hospitals had lined up on the basis of a call given by the trust not to disrupt the services to the patients.
He also stated that the Andhra Pradesh government had released a total of `3,932.22 crore so far to the Aarogyasri network hospitals in the state.
On May 22, on an average, 6,718 patients availed healthcare services under the scheme; and on May 23, nearly 7,118 patients did so. On an average, 5,349 patients were availing the healthcare services under the scheme per day in the last one year.
In 2023-24 fiscal, the Aarogyasri Trust released `3,566.22 crore; and for the 2024-25, another `366 crore in the first two months of the new year, to the network hospitals in AP to provide healthcare services to the patients.
Moreover, patients can also avail the healthcare services under the scheme in some recognised hospitals in other states too.
Meanwhile, the Aarogyasri Network Hospitals’ managements maintain that they are not taking new cases under this scheme from May 22, with an exception for emergency cases. They reiterated their demand that the government clear the dues worth about `1,500 crore. They said it would, otherwise, be difficult for them to provide the services. “We need to keep paying wages to the staff and meeting other expenses to maintain the hospitals,” they said.
Sources say a worry for the hospitals is about the hitches that lay ahead. Since AP went for polls on May 13 and a new government would take charge after June 4, they are apprehensive about the commitment of the new government to clear the dues to them.
