Andhra Pradesh: CM Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurates Aarogyasri scheme

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday inaugurated Dr YSR Aarogyasri scheme at Eluru in West Godavari district here.

Addressing the public, Chief Minister Reddy said: "We are introducing this scheme with the aim of providing free medical treatment to the poor. This is the second welfare scheme that the government has launched in the New Year."

He added that a total of 2,059 medical ailments will be covered under the scheme.

"I have seen the grievances of laymen during my Pad Yatra. Hence, I thought of expanding the scheme. From April 2020 onwards, the services will be extended to each district," he said.

He also added that YSR Aarogyasri scheme is applicable to people having an annual income of up to Rs 5 lakh and the eligible people will be given Aarogyasri cards.

"The scheme will be applicable to those people whose treatment amount crosses Rs 1,000," he said.

Adding that the government will distribute 1.42 crores cards with QR codes all over the state, the Chief Minister said that free treatment will be given to cancer patients from February onwards.

"We will attach one Asha worker for every 350 houses. 150 super-specialty hospitals in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai will also be included in the Aarogyasri network," Jagan said.

He added that patients will be provided financial aid of Rs 225 per day, to a maximum of Rs 5000 per month, during the recovery or resting period after the operation.

"Over 510 medicines will be made available in government hospitals. Medicines with WHO standards will be distributed from April. We will provide pensions ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 to patients depending upon their disease," he said.

Further, the Chief Minister asserted that the salaries of sanitation employees in hospitals will be increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 16,000.

"As many as 1056 ambulances will be made available by March and vacant posts of doctors and nurses will be filled by the end of May. The government is launching Amma Vodi scheme on January 9," Jagan said.