The State government is committed to leveraging technology in a big way to improve the health of the people, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the A.P. Medical and Rehabilitation Tourism (AMRIT) as part of the ongoing Andhra Pradesh Health Festival, at Rushikonda here on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Naidu briefed about the various initiatives taken by the government in the healthcare sector to ensure the benefits reached the last mile.
E-Sub Centres
The A.P. Health Care System would be strengthened with the financial assistance from the World Bank. The ANM Centres, which were below the level of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs), would be strengthened with two doctors and two ANMs at each centre.
On the new initiatives, he said the e-Sub Centres would enable patients in the remote areas to consult doctors at the e-Sub Centre hubs in Visakhapatnam and other cities.
The Mukhyamantri Bal Suraksha Yojna, meant for children in the 0 to 18 age group, would offer screening and referral services to over 80 lakh children through 450 mobile health teams in all the 13 districts of the State.
The Chief Minister also launched a RFID and a dialysis centre through video link.
Mr. Naidu spoke of his vision to adopt best healthcare practices being followed in the world. “If I want to do all this, I can’t do it on my own. I have plans to rope in the best service providers from different places as partners, to replicate the same in Andhra Pradesh under the PPP mode,” he said.
A few decades ago, doctors had migrated to foreign countries in search of greener pastures. These doctors and scientists were returning to India with innovative technologies, resources, and diverse experience. He opined that their experience could be utilised to improve healthcare further in A.P.
Special Chief Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) Poonam Malakondaiah and Ayushman Bharat CEO Indu Bhushan signed the Ayushman Bharat MoU in the presence of the Chief Minister.
Adviser (Health) to the Government of A.P. Jitendar Sharma spoke.
Ministers N. Chinarajappa, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, and Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu; Sheena Chhabra, Senior Health Specialist, Global Practice on Health, Nutrition and Population, World Bank; Payden, Deputy Head, WHO-India; Manish Pant, National Programme Manager, UNDP; Arun Singhal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; and Vinod Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, were present.
