VIJAYAWADA: Fulfilling one of his pre-poll promises, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday announced enhancement of the wages of Accredited Social Health Activists, also known as ASHA workers, to Rs 10,000 from Rs 3,000 per month. As many as 41,257 ASHA workers in the State will benefit from the new government’s largesse. Orders to this effect are expected to be issued soon. The NTR Vaidya Seva was renamed YSR Aarogyasri by the new CM.
Reviewing the functioning of the medical and health department in his residence at Tadepalli, Jagan made his intentions clear to revamp the system to improve health facilities in government hospitals. In this direction, Jagan Mohan Reddy formed a committee consisting of experts from the medical field with a mandate to submit a report within 45 days suggesting measures to revamp the department. Special chief secretary PV Ramesh will act as coordinator between the committee and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Jagan also made it clear that the medical and health department was the priority sector for him and he himself would directly monitor its functioning.He said as per the manifesto of the YSRC, he wanted to strengthen the medical and health department and to bring back the glory of 108 service introduced by his father and former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Deploring the incidents of medical staff performing surgery under the light of mobile torches during power outages and such other disturbing happenings, he underscored the need for total reforms in the sector.
When medical and health officials explained the prevailing situation in various departments, he asked them to submit a report on their requirement to improve the infrastructure in government hospitals. He said the government was ready to extend support for providing infrastructure in hospitals.
The CM appealed to officials to take the responsibility and develop passion to improve health services. He stressed the need for transparency in transactions to ensure zero-corruption administration. He said officials should strive to change the existing system and develop government hospitals as model for the entire country.
He suggested that the improvement in health services should reflect at field level instead of manipulating figures in dashboard. When Special CS, Medical and Health, Poonam Malakondaiah was giving a powerpoint presentation on Medtech Zone, Jagan reportedly asked in a lighter vein if former MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was associated with it.
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