Amaravati : Govt denying Aarogyasri benefits to Covid patients

AMARAVATI : TDP official spokesperson Syed Rafi on Friday charged the Jagan Mohan Reddy government with neglecting poor Covid patients receiving medical services under Aarogyasri at the private hospitals in the State.

Rafi deplored that the hospital managements are not accepting the Aarogyasri cards and not giving oxygen beds to the infected patients. While the general public are facing such serious problems at the hospitals, the ruling party leaders are turning a blind eye and they are not trying to extend any helping hand.

In a statement here, the TDP leader asked why the Chief Minister is keeping silent now after he had made big promises on the Aarogyasri services to the poor patients suffering from the virus.

Though some hospitals are admitting Aarogysri patients, they are not giving proper treatment. In Nellore, an Aarogyasri card holder was not given bed while the same hospital began immediate treatment to another patient when they paid Rs 3 lakh.

Rafi asked why the Jagan Reddy government is not taking any steps against the hospitals which were totally ignoring his government's guidelines.

While the shortage of oxygen has been given as a reason for lack of immediate services, the officials are making wrong claims that there is no shortage at all. The YSRCP seemed interested in boosting its image through front page full advertisements but not in coming to the rescue of the people.

Meanwhile, TDP State Executive Secretary Buchi Ram Prasad slammed the YSRCP regime for not taking any preventive steps even though the coronavirus was wreaking havoc at the Tirumala temple. Over 16 employees of the TTD have already lost their lives because of the government's negligence. Each deceased family should be given Rs 1 crore ex-gratia. A Covid treatment centre should be opened for serving the devotees and the TTD employees.

Ram Prasad deplored that the government is acting irresponsibly without giving 'work from home' facility to the government employees. Already, over 8 employees lost their lives due to Covid at the Secretariat. If 10 lakh students are forced to take Intermediate exams from May 5, it would lead to a bigger Covid crisis in the State, he said.