Ravindra Reddy faults YSR on Arogyasri, NIMS

HYDERABAD: Minister for medical and health DL Ravindra Reddy on Monday found fault with the decisions taken by the previous Rajasekhara Reddy government, particularly in respect of NIMS extension hospital at Rangapur near Bibinagar in Nalgonda district. He also criticised services like 108, 104 and Arogyasri launched during YSR’s rule.“Health department does not mean just 108, 104 or Arogyasri. In fact, Arogyasri supports only 1 percent of the state’s 8.5-crore population. And, 104 service is not a Sanjeevani. As a doctor I say that in these days patients are not satisfied by health check with a stethoscope. Unfortunately, Primary Health Centres have been neglected.’’Talking to newsmen after attending a high-level review meeting on health by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at the Secretariat where he chief minister approved Rs 1,000 cr worth of works of the department, Ravindra Reddy said a decision was taken during YSR’s rule without consulting anybody on NIMS extension hospital at Bibinagar which was not viable.It was now decided to have a superspeciality hospital or a cancer centre with R&D facility like the one at Adayar in Chennai. The hospital will be operationalised in six months. Another superspeciality hospital, Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), will be set up at Vizag on the lines of NIMS."About Rs 2.5 crore is being spent every month on the call centre of 104 service which will be attached to the Community Health Nutrition Centres (CHNCs) from June 1. Non-communicable diseases like diabetes and BP will be covered under the service.’’A new scheme, Janani, to reduce the mother and infant mortality rate among poor families is being introduced. Under it, 5 kg of rice, 1 kg each of dal and iodised salt will be given to the pregnant woman for  10 months. Besides, the pregnant women will be taken to the hospital for delivery and back home.The area hospitals at Mancherial, Hindupur, Chirala and Palakonda will be upgraded to district hospitals. There was no shortage of rabies vaccine in the state, the minister asserted.