Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at the latter’s residence on Saturday. He applauded the achievements of the State Government in the healthcare field, especially the move to universalise health coverage.
He also applauded the State’s hybrid system, to use both gaseous and liquid forms of oxygen, and said that he will insist on other States to follow this system. He commended the state’s use of solar energy in all Government hospitals.
Nadda made special mentions of the various Government schemes including NTR Vaidya Seva, Arogya Raksha, NTR Uchitha Vaidya Pariksha and lauded the efforts made to subsidise the costs of quality health care. Arogya Raksha collects the lowest premium (of Rs 100 per month) in the country.
He also appreciated the MR vaccination drive, which covered 92 lakh children in 9 days, as well as the fact that AP was the first state to implement all GoI health programs under PPP mode.
He readily agreed to the state’s request to grant permission to start MBBS classes in AIIMS. He said that the Ministry will complete inspection of the temporary campus, and approve for the course to start from 2018-19 academic year.
The Chief Minister thanked him for the release of IJ54 crore (GoI share) out of IJ140 crore for the Cancer Institute in Kurnool.
He also allowed for the upgradation of 11 medical colleges under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and the starting of super speciality services in all teaching hospitals.