VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asserted that there should not be any shortage of staff in government hospitals and all vacant posts should be filled up immediately. Holding a review meeting with the Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department officials at his camp office in Tadepalli on Monday, he instructed them to ensure that all the government hospitals get adequate infrastructure.
Explaining the Covid situation in the State to Jagan, the officials said it was completely under control. “AP is in the 23rd place in the number of new Covid cases registered across the country last week and the number of patients receiving treatment in hospitals is 24 only. A few people with Covid symptoms have been identified in the fever survey. People coming from abroad are being screened at airports,” they said.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to implement the family doctor programme effectively and ensure that the SOP is strictly followed by all. The scheduled visit of family doctors to villages should be informed to people well in advance through Asha workers and ANMs, he said.
As many as 20,25,903 people in 10,032 villages had received medical services under the newly introduced family physician concept from April 6 to 28, the officials said. During a review on eye problems in the State, Jagan said eye checkup should be done regularly and those with problems should be treated immediately and eyeglasses should be provided if necessary. Anaemia and malnutrition among women and children should be completely eradicated. Nutritious food should be provided to pregnant women suffering from anaemia, he averred.
Jagan reviewed the progress of Nadu-Nedu works and construction of new medical colleges, hospitals, area hospitals and community health centres. The officials informed him that 750 seats will be available in new medical colleges in Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Machilipatnam and Nandyal from the ensuing academic year. In the academic year 2024-25, 350 more MBBS seats will be made available in the existing medical colleges in the State.
The medical colleges in Piduguralla, Bapatla, Madanapalle, Penukonda, Palakollu, Markapuram, Narsipatnam, Amalapuram and Parvathipuram are likely to start functioning from the academic year 2025-26. The new colleges will have a total intake of 1,000 seats, they added. Minister for Health, Medical and Family Welfare Vidadala Rajini, Principal Secretary (HM&FW) MT Krishna Babu, Secretary (Finance) KVV Satyanarayana, Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare J Nivas were present.