Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

‘104’ service across State by November-end, says YSR

PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

Doctor in action: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy examining a child at the Rajiv Arogyasri mega health camp in Vijayawada on Saturday. —

VIJAYAWADA: The ‘104’ service would be launched across the State by the end of November for conducting regular medical check-up of people of rural areas, said Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy here on Saturday.

Addressing a meeting after inaugurating a mega health camp organised under Rajiv Arogyasri programme at Makineni Basava Punnaiah Municipal Stadium in Ajit Singh Nagar, Dr. Reddy said that the government had earmarked Rs.100 crores for ‘104’ services.

A ‘104’ mobile clinic would visit every village in the radius of 3 km of a primary health centre once in a month and stay put there for half a day to carry out regular health check-up of people suffering from different ailments. The service would be of immense help to old people who needed timely medical advice. Medicines would be given free of cost for one month by the ‘104’ doctors.

Dr. Reddy took a dig at the TDP Government, saying it had slapped user charges on patients visiting government hospitals while his government was not collecting a single penny for even major surgeries under Rajiv Arogyasri. A Rajiv Arogya Mitra was available in each primary health centre for guiding people as to what ailments they could get treated under Rajiv Arogyasri. As many as 863 diseases and complaints could be taken care of under Rajiv Arogyasri, which was a scheme unparalleled in history, he said.

Dr. Reddy wielded stethoscope and examined a few children suffering from congenital heart disease and cleft lip. He handed over to parents documents pertaining to the operations to be carried out on their children in corporate hospitals in Hyderabad and other places under Rajiv Arogyasri.

The Chief Minister, who arrived by helicopter at Tummalapalem near Ibrahimpatnam at 10.45 a.m., unveiled a statue of deceased Congress MLA and former Minister Chanamolu Venkata Rao at Ibrahimpatnam centre. He described Venkata Rao as a leader who worked among the people till his last breath and a committed Congress leader. Dr. Reddy spent some time at the residence of Congress leader Jogi Ramesh, who is widely believed to be considering crossing over to the Praja Rajyam for getting ticket to contest from Mylavaram constituency.

The Chief Minister later drove down to the residences of Venkata Rao and Chennupati Seshagiri Rao, the deceased husband of former Congress MP Chennupati Vidya, at Patamatalanka and consoled the families.

Ministers G. Aruna Kumari , D. Prasada Rao , K. Ranga Rao, M. Buddha Prasad, P. Venkateswara Rao, MLAs, district Collector Shailaja Ramaiyer, Municipal Commissioner P.S. Pradyumna and others participated.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A rich blend of fun, education
Talent and skill on display at Blitzkrieg
Microbiology has good future: V-C
Separate playground for archers sought
‘104’ service across State by November-end, says YSR
Women entrepreneurs impress YSR
Nainavaram flyover to be named after Chanamolu
In Vijaywada Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu