New medical colleges will give impetus to rural health infra: CM

Jagan Mohan Reddy virtually lays foundation stone for 14 teaching hospitals across state; offers land for private super-speciality hospitals for free
CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy lays stone for 14 medical colleges from his camp office in Tadepalli on Monday I EPS
CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy lays stone for 14 medical colleges from his camp office in Tadepalli on Monday I EPS

VIJAYAWADA:  Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy virtually laid the foundation stone for the construction of 14 government medical colleges/teaching hospitals, and 14 nursing colleges on Monday. He announced `5 lakh financial assistance to the family members of frontline workers, who do not come under the central government’s insurance scheme, in case of their death. Addressing people at 14 venues across the state virtually, the CM described the stone laying as a good opportunity for him to take another step to improve the medical and health sector in the state, so that the poor stand benefited. 

The 14 medical colleges will come up in Piduguralla, Machilipatnam, Vizianagaram, Anakapalle, Rajahmundry, Amalapuram, Palakollu, Eluru, Bapatla, Markapuram, Madanapalle, Penukonda, Nandyal and Adoni. They are among the 16 new teaching hospitals proposed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after he took over as the chief minister of the state.

The other two medical colleges, in Pulivendula and Paderu, are already under construction. The total cost of the project is estimated at `8,000 crore. “We may not have Tier-1 cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad where there are many super/multi-speciality hospitals. But with the new teaching hospitals and nursing colleges in addition to other initiatives to strengthen medical and health infrastructure taken up by our government, the time is not far when every common man in the state is able to avail the best tertiary care,” he said and added more health experts, doctors and paramedical staff will be able to serve the poor.  “Since the British era, the state only had 11 government teaching hospitals, but now with the new colleges the situation will change and the state will be on par with Tier-1 cities.” 

The construction of the new medical colleges and nursing colleges associated with them is expected to be completed by December 2023. Each hospital will have 500 beds, state-of-the-art operation theatres, ICUs, outpatient department, doctor rooms, medical oxygen pipeline linked beds, oxygen generation plants and oxygen storage tanks.

Further, any investor/individual willing to invest Rs 100 crore or above for over a period of three years for the setting up of super/multi-speciality hospitals at any of the 16 health hubs will be provided five acres free of cost. The CM said one way or the other 5-6 multi/super speciality hospitals will come up in these hubs. 

“Once we empanel them under YSR Aarogyasri scheme, people need not go to Tier-1 cities for tertiary care as the treatment can be availed in the state itself. It will benefit the poor as their services will be brought under Aarogyasri,” he added. He said under the Nadu-Nedu initiative medical infrastructure is being ramped up to meet the national standards by spending Rs 16,300 crore. As part of the initiative, 10,111 YSR Village Clinics are being established in addition to two PHCs in every mandal,  560 Urban Health Centres, 52 Area hospitals and 190 CHCs. 

The government is also setting up five multi-specialty hospitals in tribal areas at `246 crore over the next three years, the CM explained. The chief minister said the current government breathed life into the Aarogyasri programme by bringing 2,436 treatments under it and ensuring the scheme is applicable if the bill amount exceeds `1,000. He stated `5,215 crore had been paid by Aarogyasri Trust in the last two years: `3,560 crore was spent on Aarogyasri care, `303 crore for Aarogya Aasara, `510 crore on employees’ health scheme, `452 crore on ‘104’ and ‘108’ services and `390 crore for pensions to chronic patients.

Jagan said Andhra Pradesh is the first state to include treatments for Covid-19 and black fungus under a government scheme, Aarogyasri. Besides, the government is also providing free eye checkups to beneficiaries under YSR Kanti Velugu, and also conducting di-cochlear implant surgeries for children.
“Like never before, the state government has filled 9,712 posts in the medical field, which included posts of doctors, nurses and paramedics. Deputy Chief Minister (Medical and Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas (Nani), Minister for Energy Balineni Srinivas, MP Mithun Reddy, Chief Secretary Adityanath Das, Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal and others were present. 

State-of-the-art devices

  • Construction of the new medical colleges is expected to be completed by December 2023 
  • Each hospital to have 500 beds, state-of-the-art operation theatres, ICUs, medical oxygen pipeline linked beds, and oxygen generation plants and storage tanks
  • As part of Nadu-Nedu initiative, 10,111 YSR Village Clinics, two PHCs in every mandal, 560 Urban Health Centres, 52 Area hospitals and 190 CHCs will be set up 
  • CM also announces `5 lakh assistance to family members of frontline workers not covered by the Centre’s insurance scheme, in case of their death

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