The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Arogyasri: doctors flayed for charging patients

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Saturday, May 17, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Arogyasri: doctors flayed for charging patients

Correspondent

CHITTOOR: Medical Education and Health Insurance Minister Galla Aruna Kumari has expressed her displeasure against the doctors working in Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) for allegedly demanding money from patients for treatment under Arogyasri scheme

At a meeting held to review the progress made under the scheme with representatives of Network Hospitals and Arogya Mitras here on Friday, the Minister said that she had received complaints from people in this regard during her participation in Praja Patham recently. She said the Arogyasri scheme was aimed at helping poor people who were unable to afford treatment for lack of funds.

The district officers irrespective of their departments and Arogya Mithras should realise the motive behind the scheme and work to help the poor get treatment.

She was also unhappy over the number of patients undergoing surgeries in Chittoor district compared to other districts in the State, even though the number of persons screened was higher. It was a clear case of failure on the part of co-ordinators and Arogya Mitras in mobilisation of patients to the hospitals. She directed the officials to identify patients and motivate them to go to the corporate hospitals for surgeries.

Camps

District Collector M. Ravichandra said that 264 camps were organised so for in the district in which 81,002 persons had been screened.

A total of 6,425 persons were referred for admission besides surgeries were performed on 1,780 persons involving an expenditure of Rs. 7.5 crore. Chief co-ordinator Babu explained the scheme in detail.

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