Unaware of the ongoing protest by private hospital managements, poor patients continue to queue up for Aarogyasri services across various hospitals in the district. However, they have had to go back disheartened.
Both the State government and private hospital managements are at loggerheads over the pending dues and revision of MoU. The managements of private hospitals say that they are incurring huge losses due to pending payment, and government should consider settling it at one go. On the other hand, the government argues that it will release a portion of the dues now, and the rest later.
There are 35 hospitals that provide treatment under Aarogyasri in Warangal district, and poor patients who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals are forced to go to government hospitals instead, which have meagre staff and infrastructure. Patients complain that those who need to undergo surgeries are facing problems the most.
M. Sambaiah of Atmakur said they have been waiting for the strike to end so that Aarogyasri services are resumed. “There is a lot of difference between the treatment and facilities in a private hospital versus a government hospital,” he pointed out.
Constraints
Many hospital managements have put up banners and boards outside their hospital and inside the reception area that they are unable to provide services to poor patients. Doctors say they do not intend to trouble them, but they were unable to offer the services because of pending dues. They were demanding the government clear the dues and revive the MoU with the Aarogyasri trust.
Convenor of network hospitals Dr. Kali Prasad said they are facing severe financial crisis and the government needs to act fast on the issue. “We are treating all the patients who are already admitted under Aarogyasri. But, we cannot take patients anymore because we have not been paid since the past six months,” he said.
