Andhra Pradesh CM Launches Family Doctor Scheme To Take Services To Doorstep

PALNADU: Aimed at taking medical services to the doorstep of people, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday launched the family doctor programme in which medical practioners from 10,032 Dr YSR Village Health Clinics will extend preventive healthcare. Unveiling the programme at Lingamguntla village in Palnadu district, the Chief Minister noted that the new scheme would herald revolutionary changes in extending medical services to the needy.

"Just like the pensions are handed over at the households, the healthcare facilities would be extended to people at their doorstep," Reddy said. In addition to visiting bed-ridden people and treating them, he highlighted that family doctors would also extend free treatment to people suffering from both communicable and non-communicable diseases, including lactating mothers and anaemic people.

In case of patients who need advanced treatment, family doctors will refer them to Aarogyasri network hospitals while YSR health clinics will render post-treatment care to those patients. Reddy observed that the State brought in revolutionary reforms in healthcare with one primary health centre serving every 2,500 people and the family doctor programme would soon transform Andhra Pradesh into a role model for other States in preventive healthcare.

ప్రివెన్షన్‌ ఈజ్‌ బెటర్‌ దేన్‌ క్యూర్‌. జబ్బులు ముదరకుండా... రాకుండా కాపాడేందుకు ఈ ఫ్యామిలీ డాక్టర్‌ కాన్సెఫ్ట్‌ను తీసుకువచ్చాం.
ప్రివెంటివ్‌ కేర్‌లో ఫ్యామిలీ డాక్టర్‌ రూపేణా... తీసుకువస్తున్న ఈ మార్పు దేశ చరిత్రలోనే ఒక రోల్‌ మోడల్‌గా నిల్చిపోతుంది. #FamilyDoctor pic.twitter.com/QD48pQF1IO — CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) April 6, 2023

According to the Chief Minister, each mandal would consist of two PHCs with two doctors each, one taking care of out-patients (OP) while the other visits YSR Health Clinics in the assigned villages, schools and anganwadi centres twice a month. As part of their job, they will identify people suffering from BP, sugar and anaemic conditions to provide initial treatment for averting serious health conditions.

Equipped with 105 kinds of medicines, lab facilities to conduct 14 diagnostic tests and 936 mobile medical units (104), YSR Village Health Clinics will be manned by community health officers (CHO), auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANMs) and ASHA workers. Promising that the village secretariats will display the contact numbers and maintain the health records, Reddy said the services would be available round the clock, directing the medical staff to stay in the villages where they are employed.