VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Women & Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare Gummadi Sandhya Rani said that effective measures will be taken to avoid malnutrition deaths of pregnant women, children and tribes.
Speaking after assuming office at the State Secretariat on Monday, Sandhya Rani said that steps will be taken to introduce feeder ambulances in the remote tribal areas lacking road facility.
Recalling that ANMs used to be available in the residential schools to monitor the health condition of the students, the minister said that students had faced problems with the previous government shunning the practice. She made her first signature on the file to appoint 544 ANMs in the residential school.
Stating that the incidents of carrying the patients from the tribal areas on shoulders and makeshift stretchers were reported several times in the past five years, she asserted that such situation will be changed with the introduction of feeder ambulances.
She asserted that top priority will be given for education, health, drinking water, roads and prevention of malnutrition in the tribal areas. Principal Secretary (Tribal Welfare) Kantilal Dande, Commissioner and Director (Tribal Welfare) JV Murali and other officials were present. However, officials of the Women and Child Welfare Department did not turn up for the charge taking ceremony of the minister. Lack of prior information is cited as the reason.