The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Arogyasri will not dilute Government hospital services’

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Thursday, Aug 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Arogyasri will not dilute Government hospital services’

Special Correspondent

YSR denies scheme benefiting corporate hospitals

‘Insurance company selected in a transparent tender process’
Periodical workshops to be organised to review the scheme

HYDERABAD: The Rajiv Arogyasri scheme will in no way dilute the services in Government hospitals but leverage public private partnership to provide high-end medical treatment to the poor, said Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy on the floor of the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

Replying to a short discussion on Arogyasri that dominated the proceedings, the Chief Minister refuted the Opposition’s charge that the scheme was benefiting an insurance company and corporate hospitals.

Describing Arogyasri as an innovative scheme to provide the poor with access to corporate hospitals for serious ailments, he said the insurance company to partner Arogyasri was selected in a transparent tender process.

Dr. Reddy said periodical workshops would be organised to review the scheme and the members could come up with suggestions for its improvement.

Of the 6,033 beds available for high-end treatment to the poor under Arogyasri, 1,000 beds were available in various Government hospitals he said, and added that surgeries were performed only after approval by a monitoring team to ensure transparency.

The Chief Minister also said that the 104 services launched recently in two districts to offer medical check-up to villagers within 3 km from a PHC would be extended to the rest of the State by November.

Reminding the members that while the budget allocation for health was Rs.1,688 crore in 2003-04, the Congress Government increased it to Rs. 3,368 crore in addition to Rs.1,200 crore under NHRM and Rs.460 crore under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund this year.

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