Set up an oncology department in all medical colleges, says CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday instructed the health department to set up an oncology department in all medical colleges during a Health and Family Welfare department review meeting in the camp office at Tadepalli.
"Build and strengthen the government health care facilities in the state and people would avail the Aarogyasri services at our hospitals. It is a win-win situation for the state if we set up the oncology departments in all medical colleges for prevention and treatment. It will help us with more PG seats along with the resources to treat the patients at government facilities." said the Chief Minister. Officials informed the chief minister that the state's expenditure for cancer treatment has increased four times since 2015. They further said that for Aarogyasri 1,40,639 virtual accounts were created for the people availing of the services to deposit the treatment amount which would be auto-debited in the hospital accounts.
Apart from ANM workers delivering the letters and getting feedback from the people who got treated under the Aarogyasri services, a proper follow-up mechanism to be created for them to check with the people in case they need further medication or medical consultancy said the Chief Minister according to a statement.
He added, "People should be educated vigorously regarding the Aarogyasri referral hospitals and permanent hoarding should be kept at the village level. 104 call centre should be publicized so that people can get all the information regarding the services, referral hospitals, even ambulances at their doorsteps."
The revolutionary family doctor concept which is slated to be launched soon would have a special officer to monitor the progress said the Chief Minister. "67 types of drugs and 12 types of diagnostic kits are made available at the PHCs," said the officials.
"Give incentives to doctors who would be deployed in rural and tribal areas. No one should say that there is a pending in recruiting doctors. Take all the necessary help and do whatever needs to be done to recruit and retain doctors in the government hospitals and clinics," said Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister ordered the health department to get rid of anemia in the state within one year. "Take it as a challenge and work towards the complete elimination of anemia in Andhra Pradesh," said Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. He also asked the officials to monitor the functioning of the Anganwadi centre. "Like Sampoorna Poshana, provide protein kits to severe anemia patients," the Chief Minister added.
Regarding the ANM workers who play a significant role in vector control and hygiene measures, the Chief Minister directed that the workers should monitor the sanitation progress in the village along with educating the children in government schools on DISHA, napkin distributions, and so on. "A proper SOP-cum-deliverables should be prepared for the ANM workers," said Chief Minister.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that the maternal care control room will be established to monitor deliveries in health facilities.
Reviewing the Nadu-Nedu works in the health department, the Chief Minister said, "Before December all the pending works in PHCs, CHCs, YSR Village, and Urban Clinics should be completed. Further, all the medical colleges should be started and constructed in war-footing mode. A weekly review meeting should be conducted with concerned officials to aggressively push and finish the pending projects." (ANI)