AP to spend Rs.16,000 crore to revamp infra at govt. hospitals

Visakhapatnam Minister for Health and Family Welfare Vidadala Rajini on Friday said the infrastructure at government hospitals in Andhra Pradesh is being revamped by spending over Rs.16,000 crore.

After inspecting AP's premier health institute King George Hospital here, she told the media that under the leadership of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, top priority is being accorded to healthcare. With liberal sanction of funds, healthcare facilities are being improved from village to the super-speciality hospitals across the State.

Rajini said the government is also spending Rs.13,000 crore on medical education. She said new colleges are being established to ensure availability of more specialists.

On YSR Arogya Sri, under which free treatment is being rendered to the poorer sections, the Minister said Rs.3,000 crore has been sanctioned to cover more procedures. At present, 2044 procedures are being covered under Arogya Sri programme.

During her visit to KGH, she interacted with the Heads of Departments and teaching staff and tried to understand the problems faced by them. She said they are tying up with private diagnostic labs to render more services to the patients under the free health scheme.

Stating that extending better treatment to all is their motto, she said negligence on the part of doctors in patient care will not be tolerated. She said biometric attendance is being made compulsory for all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the government hospitals.

District Collector Mallikarjuna Rao, Visakha South MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar and others accompanied the Minister.