Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Health T. Rajaiah on Thursday said the Telangana government aims to enhance participation of government hospitals in Arogyasri health insurance scheme. The Minister felt that government hospitals should strive to step up their performance and claim 50 to 60 per cent of the overall insurance claims serviced under Arogyasri.
On Thursday, Dr. Rajaiah held a review meeting with officials at Sate AIDS Control Society and Health and Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation at Koti on Thursday. “We want government hospitals to perform well in the Arogyasri scheme. There is a need to improve sanitation and security aspects because that’s where private hospitals score. We will take steps accordingly,” he said while interacting with press persons after the review.
The Deputy Chief Minister urged the government doctors not to prescribe drugs that are only available in private medical stores to patients. “This practice puts unnecessary financial pressure on poor patients. If there is no stock of drugs, then hospital managements should use hospital funds to make sure drugs are available. Doctors should be careful while prescribing drugs,” he said.
The Minister hoped that delay in health infrastructure projects will now be a thing of the past in Telangana. “We know that under APHMIDC, there was inordinate delay in executing several health infrastructure projects. However, after formation of Telangana State, there should not be any delay in executing the medical projects,” he said.
Dr. Rajaiah once again reiterated the government’s intention to set up tertiary health care facilities on the lines of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), in Telangana districts. “We are also committed to improving existing infrastructure at government teaching hospitals,” he added.