Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the enhanced beneficial YSR Aarogyasri scheme that would provide free medical treatment up to Rs 25 lakh and make it applicable to all people having annual income up to Rs 5 lakh.
He launched the new scheme virtually from his camp office on Monday. The Chief Minister described it as unprecedented in the country and said 4.25crore people from 1,48,000 lakh families would be covered under the scheme. He also formally launched the distribution of new YSR Aarogyasri cards.
The revolutionary step would prevent people from falling into debt trap due to increasing cost of medical treatment, he said, adding that MLAs, staff of village secretariats, volunteers, ANMs and ASHA workers would involve in the massive public awareness campaign from Tuesday on how to use the enhanced free medical treatment for 3257 ailments and procedures at 2513 hospitals.
While ailments like bone marrow and heart transplantation were also brought under Aarogyasri, the government has so far spent Rs 1900 crore only on cancer patients with no cap on treatment expenditure as against Rs 5 lakh limit imposed during TDP rule.
He said that the official machinery is also taking steps to supply WHO quality medicines to people at the doorstep with cooperation of the postal department besides making 562 sorts of medicines available in government hospitals.
With 10032 village health clinics being equipped with CHOs, ANMs and 3 to 4 ASHA workers and with 105 sorts of medicines and 14 types of diagnostic tests being made available coupled with the visits of family doctors to villages twice every month, Government has taken the preventive health care system to the next level, he said, adding Andhra Pradesh is the only state in the country to have such facility.
The Nadu-Nedu programme is also helping the hospitals across the State attain national standards and the Government is committed to turn the State into Arogya Andhra Pradesh.
The Chief Minister also asked the officials to continue the Aarogyasri public awareness campaign simultaneously along the second phase of the Jagananna Aarogya Suraksh beginning January 1.
He said under the first phase of Arogya Suraksha, 60, 27, 843 people were examined and 45, 6018 diagnostic tests were conducted, and necessary medical treatment was extended to the needy.
ANMs, CHOs, people’s representatives, women police and enthusiasts should help people download the Disha App along with the Aarogyasri App and the specially- made 6-minute video during the awareness campaign, he suggested.
