PNS n Vijayawada
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the Medical and Health Department officials to instil confidence among people that all Aarogyasri card holders can avail of free medical treatment costing up to Rs. 25 lakh under the YSR Aarogyasri scheme.
At a review meeting held at the Camp Office here on Wednesday to discuss the launch of the extended Aarogyasri scheme, the Chief Minister told the officials that the government had a responsibility to extend the benefits of health and education to people, which was their right.
Officials should give an assurance to the people that any eligible person who is in need of medical treatment for any ailment can avail of it free of cost (up to Rs. 25 lakh) under Aarogyasri.
The extended YSR Aarogyasri scheme will be launched on December 18, and MLAs will participate in the follow-up programmes to be held in villages in every constituency from the next day, he said.
“The government has extended the free medical treatment limit to Rs. 25 lakh and officials also should act responsibly for extending the benefits to eligible people with a humanistic approach to implement the historic decision,” he said.
Whoever undergoes medical treatment under Aarogyasri should be given Rs. 300 towards charges when they go to doctors again for follow-up consultation. Similarly, patients identified under Jagananna Arogya Suraksha should also be given Rs. 500 each to visit hospitals.
The specially developed video on availing of free medical treatment under Aarogyasri should be made available to volunteers, secretariat staff and officials of health department besides making it accessible to all people, he suggested.
The Chief Minister also directed the officials to construct residential quarters for the specialist doctors working in government hospitals.
The department is printing new Aarogyasri cards and these would be distributed to all households across the State. Officials are planning to complete the distribution by January end.
That apart, a massive public awareness campaign would be launched on availing of free medical treatment under Aarogyasri. ANMs, CHOs, ASHA workers, volunteers, enthusiasts, people’s representatives and women police will participate in the massive campaign.
They will also help people download the Disha app, besides handholding the patients being treated under Aarogyasri and handing over medicines to them.
Directing the officials to launch the second phase of the Jagananna Arogya Suraksha on January 1, the Chief Minister told them to conduct one Suraksha camp in a village in each mandal in rural areas and one camp in a ward in urban areas every week.
He said that medical treatment being extended to kidney patients in Uddanam area should be extended to kidney patients in other areas also by making available all necessary medicines in village health clinics which would be operated by family doctors.
