Aarogyasri is a state government initiative by Andhra Pradesh state Governmemt under the current chairmanship of the Honorable Chef minister Dr Rajasekhar Reddy and was started in the year 2004.
This very succesful scheme has enrolled all the possible government hospitals among the networked hospitals. The CEO of Aarogyasri informed the Chief Minister that among the 359 empanelled hospitals under the scheme, there are at present 93 government hospitals. Of the total 5377 medical camps held, 1976 were in Government hospitals, i.e. an impressive 37.45 per cent. Of the total 11,26,062 patients screened, 3,74,526 were in Government hospitals again 33.26 per cent.
As far as pre-authorisations for treatment and surgeries were concerned, so far 18,808 cases were approved at a cost of Rs. 58.59 crores and 14,358 surgeries were successfully conduced at a cost of Rs.42.38 crores. This is a substantial share of the total Rs. 376.18 crores already sanctioned for surgeries completed so far.
Aarogyasri ensures that the State provides medical assistance to families living below poverty line for the treatment of serious ailments such as cancer, kidney failure, heart and neurosurgical diseases etc., requiring hospitalization and surgery.
Available network of government hospitals do not have the requisite equipment or the facility or the specialist pool of doctors to meet the state wide requirement for the treatment of such diseases. Large proportions of people, especially below poverty line borrow money or sell assets to pay for hospitalization. Presently many people suffering from such diseases are approaching the Government to provide financial assistance to meet hospitalization expenses for surgical procedures
Contrary to the feelings at some quarters that only Private Corporate and Super Multi-specialty hospitals are benefited by the Aarogyasri scheme, the fact remains that many of our government hospitals, particularly Medical College Hospitals are among the largest beneficiaries of the scheme as per the statement released by recent MCI official during his formal visit to Gandhi medical college hospital in Hyderabad.
Many coporate hospitals in Andhra have already been particpating very actively in the scheme by delegating a respectable part of their services to the patients under the Aarogya scheme. Many new hospitals are currently being set up with a direct encouragement from Aarogyasri as well.
Lazarus hospitals is also setting up a chain of hospitals in Andhra Pradesh after its initial project in Vishakhapatnam managed to deliver the needs to the community, both rich and poor very succesfully.Two multispecialty hospitals are being started by Lazarus hospitals this year, one of them to start this March, 2009 in Rajahmundry and the other in April 2009 Hyderabad.
With many hospitals in corporate sector sharing the vision of Aarogyasri, there is bright future for health care services delivery in Andhra state irresepctive of the ruling government.The future governments should just embrace this programme and its ideals and continue to improve the health care delivery to the community which is already largely benefiting from this scheme.
