Andhra Pradesh to add 432 new ambulances by December; Govt hospital patients' daily diet allowance to go up

Addition of the 432 new ambulances will take the total to over 1,100

The Andhra Pradesh government plans to increase the hospital patient diet charges to Rs 100 per day and also add 432 new free ambulance services by December.

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the government expenditure on Aarogyasri health scheme has gone up three-fold now, when compared to the situation during the previous TDP government.

In a review meeting of the Medical and Health Departments on Friday, the Chief Minister said that about Rs 2,500 crore are spent on YSR Aarogyasri with addition of several treatment procedures, Rs 300 crores for Aarogya Aasara and Rs 400 crore being spent for the 108 and 104 ambulance services.

Officials said that the increased number of medical treatment procedures from 2,446 to 3,254 would be available from October 15.

Reddy instructed that the diet charges of all patients in government hospitals should be increased to Rs 100 per day on the lines of Aarogyasri patients, with quality food provided.

432 new 104 ambulance services would be added to the existing 748 vehicles, taking the total to over 1,100.

While officials informed the CM that 12 types of diagnostic kits and 67 types of medicines are made available in the village clinics, Reddy instructed them to supply Covid-19 kits too.

“All hospitals should have adequate staff. There should be a monthly audit and the report submitted without fail,” Reddy said while adding that the construction of new medical colleges and works on Urban Health Clinics must be completed by November.

The CM directed that all vacancies should be filled immediately and asked the officials to consider setting up a Medical Recruitment Board as the vacancy filling is a constant process.