Cancer, anaemia focus areas for Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Reddy

Amaravati: With Andhra Pradesh registering a significant increase in expenditure on cancer treatments over the last seven years, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the health department to set up an oncology department in all medical colleges of the state.

The decision taken during the Health and Family Welfare Department review meeting on Tuesday covers new medical colleges that are currently being established in the state.

“Build and strengthen the government healthcare facilities in the state and people would avail the Aarogyasri services at our hospitals. It is a win-win situation for the state if we set up the oncology departments in all medical colleges for prevention and treatment. It will help us with more PG seats along with the resources to treat the patients at government facilities,” said the chief minister.

Health department officials informed the chief minister that the state’s expenditure for cancer treatment has increased four times since 2015. They further said that 1,40,639 virtual accounts have been created under Aarogyasri scheme for the people availing of the services, for the state government to deposit the treatment amount which would then be auto-debited in the hospital accounts.

The chief minister directed the health department to work towards eradication of anaemia in the state within one year. “Take it as a challenge and work towards the complete elimination of anaemia in Andhra Pradesh,” he said while asking the officials to monitor the functioning of the Anganwadi centres. “Like Sampoorna Poshana, provide protein kits to severe anaemia patients,” the chief minister added.

With the state government set to soon launch the family doctor concept, the chief minister proposed appointment of a special officer to monitor the progress.

“Give incentives to doctors who would be deployed in rural and tribal areas. No one should say that there is a pending in recruiting doctors. Take all the necessary help and do whatever needs to be done to recruit and retain doctors in the government hospitals and clinics,” the chief minister said.