The infrastructure and manpower deficiencies plaguing the health care delivery system in the Agency areas of the district came under sharp focus at the general body meeting of the Bhadrachalam-based Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Aswaraopet on Friday.
Tribal Welfare Minister A. Chandulal, Health Minister C. Laxma Reddy, Minister for Roads and Buildings T. Nageswara Rao, District Collector D.S. Lokesh Kumar among others participated in the meeting. Several elected representatives from Agency mandals pointed out the glaring deficiencies such as lack of adequate medical officers, ANMs, and health assistants in PHCs and area hospitals in tribal areas of the district. They made specific reference to the detection of 340 cases of malaria and 13 cases of dengue in the tribal areas of the district. The Health Minister said that the Government had already initiated steps to fill up the existing vacancies in Medical and Health Department in the entire State. The ministers inspected several PHCs and also reviewed the progress of irrigation development works in Sattupalli and its neighbouring mandals.
