Eluru: Provide cash-free treatment to Aarogyasri beneficiaries, hospitals told

Eluru (West Godavari): District Collector Karthikeya Misra has warned private hospitals of stern action if they fail to provide cash-free treatment to Covid patients under Aarogyasri scheme.

Addressing a videoconference of officials from Collectorate here on Monday, he directed the private hospitals to 50 per cent ICU, non-ICU and oxygen beds should be allotted to Arogyasri beneficiaries without fail. Action would be taken against the hospital managements insisting on cash treatment to the Aarogyasri patients. At some hospitals in Eluru and Jangareddigudem divisions, the patients under Arogyasri are not provided ICU beds, he pointed out.

The Collector ordered the revenue divisional officials to book cases against all those hospitals which failed to accommodate 50 percent ICU beds, non-ICU beds and oxygen beds to Aarogyasri patients.

He stressed on the need for identifying more vaccination centres. Tahsildars should supervise vaccination centres at mandal-level. Vaccination centres should be equipped with police bandobust, facilities like shelter for seating, drinking water etc.

The Collector informed the officials that out of total 2360 overhead water tanks in the district, cleaning was completed with regard to 1717 tanks so far. He asked DPO to ensure completion of cleaning at the earliest.

Joint Collector Himanshu Shukla, Trainee Asst Collector T Rahul Kumar Reddy, DCHS Dr AVR Mohan, DMHO Dr KM Sunanda and others were present.