VIJAYAWADA: In a major move aimed at curbing unnecessary surgical procedures, the Andhra Pradesh government has brought all C-section (Cesarean) deliveries performed in network hospitals under the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Scheme under mandatory audit.
Clear directives have been issued stating that C-sections must be conducted strictly based on genuine medical necessity, requiring hospitals to maintain documentation and clinical records for every case.
The policy enforcement follows a recent review meeting where Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav expressed concern over high volume of C-section deliveries being reported in empanelled hospitals.
Instructing officials to take stringent measures against non-essential surgeries, the Minister prompted Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust Chief Executive Officer (CEO) KVN Chakradhar Babu to issue a formal circular mandating immediate compliance across all network hospitals. Under the new guidelines, hospitals are required to perform C-sections only when health conditions of the mother or child medically warrant it, strictly adhering to Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and statutory norms. Facilities must maintain clear records detailing doctor observations, diagnostic test reports, and the specific clinical justifications that necessitated the surgery.
The trust or authorised health officials will regularly audit these cases, and the CEO warned that hospitals failing to maintain records or violating protocol will face strict penal action in accordance with their empanelment contracts.
Additionally, the trust has made ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers and Electronic Health Records (EHR) mandatory for every beneficiary before undergoing any medical procedure under the scheme.
Network hospitals have also been instructed to ensure that all attending doctors and healthcare professionals are registered with the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR). The trust confirmed that all these regulations come into force with immediate effect.