VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Health Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Thursday took stock of the implementation of a 30-point action plan designed to strengthen the government hospitals in the State.
Launched two months ago, the action plan aims to improve public perception and service delivery in government hospitals. During the three-hour review, the Health Minister discussed the specific actions taken under the plan with the Superintendents of Government General Hospitals.
The GGH Superintendents told him that substantial improvement was noticed in various areas, including cleanliness, signage, outpatient registration, reception services, feedback mechanism, attendance management, and centralised sample collection after the implementation of the action plan. However, Satya Kumar asked them about public perception of these changes.
Commending the dedication of hospital staff, he stressed the need for continuous improvement to foster a positive perception of government healthcare services.
He asserted that despite the limitations faced by the government hospitals, the public has the right to expect quality care, and it is the responsibility of medical personnel to meet these expectations. He exuded confidence that commitment and hard work will certainly yield positive results.
The action plan results highlighted by the superintendents of 17 GGHs include extending evening outpatient services, collecting patient feedback, setting up complaint boxes, updating the public through media, providing specialist services in the afternoon, installing navigation signage, conducting blood tests near outpatient areas, monitoring staff attendance, maintaining cleanliness, and ensuring prompt outpatient registration.
Additionally, the meeting discussed various long-term initiatives undertaken by hospitals. He underlined the importance of diligently implementing the 30-point action plan to achieve meaningful outcome for public welfare.
The GGH Superintendents stressed the need for the procurement of diagnostic equipment worth Rs 240 crore and the recruitment of 725 auxiliary staff to enhance patient services. Satya Kumar directed the officials to take steps to resolve the shortage of paramedical staff and laboratory technicians.