Reiterating that Chandrababu Naidu government has turned Aarogyasri scheme into a sick and lame duck by watering down the spirit of the flagship medicare facility, Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today demanded that Rs 1,460 crores should be released for the scheme immediately.

Interacting with the kidney patients in P C Palli of Prakasam district, he deplored that when a requisition for Rs 910 crores was made for Aarogyasri, the TDP government has released Rs 568 crores of which Rs 368 are previous year’s arrears. Accusing that this shows the apathy of the State towards the health care of poor, the YSRCP chief said that we need at least Rs 1,460 crores as patients with renal failures and other ailments are not getting timely and full treatment with the meager funds.

People suffering with kidney problems had told their miseries to the Leader of Opposition and narrated how the government was not taking care of dialysis in the required measure as it would cost about Rs 20,000 which they cannot afford. Many people have died as they could not get government support through Aargyasri. In Prakasam district itself 424 kidney patients have died and 48 of the 52 mandals of the district are fluoride-affected areas.

Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed concern that the Aarogyasri scheme has been watered down and after ‘we come to power we will infuse life into it and see that no poor person is deprived of quality medical facility. Even for cancer patients the funds released by the TDP government are not sufficient for the chemotherapy and 108 has become ineffective and people are losing hope on it while Asha health workers are not being paid salaries. These are all affecting the Aarogyasri scheme which the government should take steps to put things in place, he added.