VIJAYAWADA: Lambasting the previous YSRC government for eroding public trust in government hospitals through corrupt practices, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu instructed officials to reintroduce the successful health policies from his 2014-19 tenure.
During a review meeting held with Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav and senior officials at the Secretariat on Monday, Naidu emphasised the need for immediate corrective measures for the State healthcare system.
The Chief Minister highlighted the deterioration of government hospitals under the previous YSRC administration, which he claimed weakened the public’s confidence in the State’s healthcare services. He instructed officials to develop a comprehensive app that would track patient details, services provided, equipment used, and medications administered in private hospitals, particularly for those using health cards.
Naidu noted that this app would help assess the quality of medical care and identify hospitals capable of delivering superior services.
Focusing on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), Naidu directed officials to gather mandal-wise data on patients and conduct an in-depth study, including assessing the quality of drinking water in those areas. He cited the successful identification of the causes behind the CKD crisis in Uddanam during his previous term, urging similar studies in other areas where CKD is prevalent.
He also called for the installation of CT scan services in all district hospitals to ensure the underprivileged receive timely diagnostics.
About tuberculosis (TB), the Chief Minister mandated a comprehensive state-wide study on TB patients and insisted that medication be provided without fail.
He also issued a stern warning to officials to avoid any negligence in registering missing cases after births, with strict action promised against irresponsible officers.
In an effort to revive maternal health programmes, Naidu ordered the reinstatement of the NTR Baby Kits distribution to new mothers with all the material necessary for the babies. Furthermore, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directed them to conduct eye tests for all school children across the State, with subsequent action plans based on the findings.
Naidu criticised the previous YSRC government for failing to implement telemedicine effectively, despite securing Rs 2,300 crore from the World Bank during his earlier tenure. The Chief Minister instructed officials to study best practices from other States and draft an action plan to reintegrate telemedicine services, particularly for rural areas.