Hyderabad|India|June'2009: The Chief Minister Dr. Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy has asked the Aarogyasri Trust to include more diseases under Aarogyasri Package. He also said that all the due payments to Corporate and Private Hospitals due from the Aarogyasri Trust will be paid by the 15th of July, 2009. The Chief Minister also appreciated the work of the Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust. He cut a cake on the occasion on behalf of the 3 lakh happy families, on saving the lives of people by successfully completing 3 lakh surgeries.

The Chief Minister and Chairman of the Trust, Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy chaired over the 11th Board of Trustees meeting of Aarogyasri Health Care Trust at Secretariat. The scheme was renewed for AS-I&AS-II combined for 942 procedures in 8 districts Srikakulam, Mahboobnagar and Anantapur , Karimnagar, Medak, Kadapa, Prakasam and Nellore for one more year.

'Suvarna Aarogya Suraksha Yojana’ of Karnataka and ‘Chief Minister Kalaigner’s Insurance scheme for Life saving diseases’ of Tamil Nadu have been recently announced by the respective State Governments on the lines of Aarogyasri. The Aarogyasri scheme has recently been acclaimed as a role model for its features and implementation capability at Geneva in ‘Forum For Health’.

The Chief Minister was updated about the progress of the scheme since the launch of the scheme. In all, 17,89,075 patients have been screened in 10,578 health camps organized at the village level in the 23 districts. 1,52,431 patients were referred to network hospitals for further evaluation and surgery from these camps. 4,87,659 patients have been examined and treated as outpatients in network hospitals. 3,00,015 surgeries worth Rs.963.65 crores were performed on the needy persons.

The Board then discussed the agenda and the following decisions were made. The Scheme for the 10 districts of Phase-IV and Phase-V viz., Adilabad, Hyderabad, Kurnool, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Nizamabad, Khammam, Warangal, Guntur and Krishna will be renewed from 17.7.2009 for a period of one year for Aarogyasri-I (330 procedures). Aarogyasri-II in these 10 districts will be implemented directly by the Trust through CMRF. This will benefit 84.31 lakh BPL families consisting of 2.70 Crore population. The Trust approved the revised budget estimates of Rs.1,334 Crores for implementation of Aarogyasri-I and Aarogyasri-II for the Financial Year 2009-10. Out of this, it is decided to fund Rs.922.80 crores through regular budget and Rs.411.20 Crores through CMRF.

The Trust approved the guidelines for enhancement of package in deserving cases and the disciplinary actions and time frame for reconsideration of re-empanelment against erring hospitals. The Trust approved additional staff for the Trust office. In continuation of the earlier decision by the Trust, the Trust Board approved payment of premium on pro-rata basis to Insurance Company for new BPL cards issued by the Government after issue of policy during various Phases. The Trust approved the action plan for the applicants of CMRF assistance for cochlear implant surgery as per the modified guidelines of the scheme.

It was decided to utilize the revolving fund for purchase of 100 dialysis machines for Government hospitals, as this will facilitate the much-needed requirement of haemodialysis treatment of Aarogyasri patients. The Trust approved the expenditure of accounts of the Trust and Rajiv Aarogyasri-II.

The Minister for Aarogyasri and Medical Infrastructure P.Satyanarayana, Vice Chairman of the Trust, P.K.Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Health, J.Satyanarayana, Principal Secretary, Revenue, Samuel, Secretary, Finance, Sekhar Banu, C.E.O., Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust, A.Babu and other Trust Board Members and officials attended the meeting.

Reachout's News Bureau
 June' 2009