Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao held a review meeting on Medical and Health

Honourable Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday has instructed the officials concerned to ensure that poor pregnant women go in for their deliveries in the government hospitals only and he also emphasised the need to improve conditions in the government hospitals. In this contest, he has asked officials in the finance department to increase allocations for medical and health in the State Budget and take measures to release the funds regularly.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting on Medical and Health and the actions to be taken at Pragathi Bhavan. Minister Sri Jagdeesh Reddy, State Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sri Niranjan Reddy, MPs Sri Boora Narsaiah Goud, Sri Gutha Sukhender Reddy, Principal Secretary (Health) Sri Rajesh Tiwari, Commissioner Ms Vakati Karuna, Principal Secretary (Finance) Sri Ramakrishna Rao, Health University VC Sri Karunakar Reddy, officials Ms Smita Sabharwal, Ms Priyanka Varghese, Sri Rajasekhara Reddy, Dr Gangadhar and others participated.

Elaborating on the need to increase institutional deliveries, the Chief Minister has pointed out that poor pregnant women are facing twin problem when they are forced to go to the private hospitals. “They are forced to pay huge amounts of money for the delivery and post delivery hospitalisation in the private hospitals. In a majority of cases, it is brought to the notice that the women are often subjected to unnecessary surgeries. Under these circumstances, all the poor pregnant women should be encouraged to get their deliveries done in the government hospitals only. All the government hospitals should be equipped with the necessary staff, equipment, medicines and facilities. The poor should be convinced of the fact they in the government hospitals, medical care and facilities are far better. The poor should come to the government hospitals. The measures taken by the government in this regard for the past two years has yielded good response and results. Under Ammavadi scheme, pregnant women are brought to the government hospitals for better care. But we need to take more measures. Still in the remote tribal areas, women are delivering babies at their home, which is very dangerous. It is not safe for both the mother and infant child. There is a need to launch a wide spread campaign. Take the help of Telangana    samskruthika  saradhi create awareness among the people. I request media too cooperate in this campaign,” the CM said.

The Chief Minister said ‘For all the poor pregnant women getting admitted in the government hospitals, incentives should be given. Women, who are in the family way, will not be able to attend to their daily work and at the same time they need good nutritious food. This is an additional financial burden on the poor families. Hence, the government is ready to give some financial assistance during the period.  Though, the government is given a nutritious meal a day under Arogya Laxmi Scheme, a lot more has to be done. There is also a need to take care of both the mother and child postnatal period. There are some necessary things required till the infant is three months old. The government should supply these essential things as a gift Kit to each woman. Officials should prepare proposals in this regard. We will provide adequate funds in the State’s Budget. Whatever may be the expenditure to be incurred we will not go back. The Telangana State should register zero infant mortality rate. Everyone should work in this direction. There should be 100 per cent institutional deliveries in the State. This awareness should be created among all sections of the people’ the Chief Minister clarified.

The Chief Minister said that in the last State’s Budget, several reforms were brought in Medical and health department and funds were also increased many fold. There is a tangible change in the government health services, supply of medicine and drugs. There is an increase in people visiting the government hospitals. In the present Budget there is a proposal to increase the salaries of government doctors attending to the poor. There is a need to give allowances to the government doctors serving in the remote tribal areas. In New Delhi, the government has launched Mohalla Clinics. The same should be replicated in all the Corporations in the State. Prepare proposals on the matter,” the Chief Minister told the officials concerned. In this context, the CM said that an official team has already visited Tamil Nadu state as part of their study on how medical and health services are reaching the poor in other States.  The Committee should visit New Delhi and other States to complete their study, the CM said.

 -Press note