VIJAYAWADA: The government is addressing the shortage of doctors and healthcare staff through a recruitment plan as part of a 30-point agenda to enhance access to medical services and bolster administration across the State.
Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav is leading the initiative, with Special Chief Secretary MT Krishna Babu overseeing its implementation. The officials have unveiled the 30-point agenda on Friday, which aligns with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for healthcare reforms.
To strengthen the workforce, the State government is preparing an action plan to recruit doctors, paramedical staff, and nursing officers. Measures are being introduced to ensure accountability, including monitoring doctor attendance and addressing absenteeism.
The Swarnandhra Vision-2047 serves as a long-term roadmap for healthcare development. Plans are in place to communicate this vision to the public through media, workshops, and discussions with stakeholders, including private hospitals and NGOs.
An advisory group of medical experts from the public and private sectors is being considered to address emerging healthcare challenges and recommend technological advancements. Other major initiatives include expanding health insurance coverage up to Rs 25 lakh, operationalising ten new government medical colleges under a public-private partnership, and establishing speciality hospitals in each Assembly constituency across the State.
The State government is also exploring WhatsApp Governance for healthcare services and adopting AI and machine learning for data collection and service delivery. The workload on healthcare workers, particularly Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), is being reviewed for efficiency.
The agenda also promotes digital healthcare, focusing on ABHA IDs, electronic health records, and a roadmap for digitisation. Works in government hospitals will be monitored, with ranking systems to encourage competition.