VIJAYAWADA: Praja Aarogya Vedika (PAV) has raised serious concern over the acute shortage of essential medicines in government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across Andhra Pradesh.
In a representation addressed to Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav, the organisation urged the government to increase the budgetary allocation for health, and take urgent corrective measures to safeguard public health.
The group highlighted that patients are being forced to purchase even life-saving drugs from private pharmacies due to the lack of supply in government facilities.
They warned that this crisis, if left unresolved, could escalate into a larger health emergency, disproportionately affecting poor and middle-class families.
According to the statement, inadequate budget allocation and over-reliance on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) have created systemic gaps in procurement and distribution.
It stressed that public health should not be treated as a secondary priority and called for stronger government intervention.
The organisation demanded a significant increase in the 2026 health budget, immediate release of an emergency fund to tackle the current shortages, and strengthening of public health infrastructure with reduced dependence on privatisation. The appeal concluded by reminding the government of its fundamental responsibility to ensure accessible healthcare, stating that “public health cannot be compromised, and urgent reforms are needed to protect the welfare of the people.”