AP: Govt to appoint 176 Medical Officers to work as 'Family Doctor'

Gunter: The Andhra Pradesh government will soon appoint 176 medical officers to work as 'Family Doctor,' Minister for Health Vidadala Rajini said in a review meeting held with the health department officials at GMCANA Auditorium.

The state government will introduce the initiative of Family Doctor soon to the public. There will soon be a recruitment process to fill the doctors who will work as Family Doctors.

Secretary of Health, M.T. Krishna Babu, A.P. Vaidya Vidhana Parishad Commissioner Vinod Kumar, and MD of APMS D. Muralidhar Reddy were present at the review meeting.

Also read- Andhra Pradesh: Family Doctor System To Reach Rural Areas

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that the Principal Secretary to Medical & Health and Family Welfare, Krishna Babu, in a video conference with district health officials and CHC staff, said that the Family Doctor system was introduced so that medical services could reach the village level. Most of the health-related problems could be addressed.

He noted that chief minister Jagan Reddy introduced the concept of the Family Physician in order to bring a revolutionary change in the health care sector. He said, "The basic infrastructure required for the family physician is being provided. For each PHC, two health officials are appointed, and vacant posts shall be filled."

It was observed that 2 PHCs were being established in each Mandal, and two doctors would be available in each PHC; one would be taking care of the mobile unit, and the other would be taking care of the PHC.

Around 2,300 smartphones have been provided to the PHCs, and AMU vehicles will be readied within the next 45 days, said the Minister.

"The Family Doctor aims to take the health services to the people's doorstep. The government will appoint 176 medical officers to work as Family Doctors. The YSR Health Clinics will have 12 rapid diagnostic kits. Special apps have been developed to register all details of the patient. The government had released ₹5.61 crores to meet the salary and allowances bills of the Family Doctor," said the Minister.

The Minister directed the district administrations and medical department officials specific instructions to make the required preparations in order to launch the program as soon as possible. She further emphasized that YSR Aarogyasri is implemented without any irregularities and negligence.

Speaking about the hospital development, she directed officials to start the functioning of the 200-bed hospital at Narsaraopet at the earliest. A Trauma Care Centres will be set up soon at Chilakaluripet and Vinukonda, said the Minister.

She also discussed the proposal to increase the 30-bed hospitals at Vinukonda and Macherla to 100 beds, The Hindu reports.

Apart from this, the collectors of seven districts informed the Minister about the progress of the ongoing projects. Around 2,193 YSR Health Clinics were being constructed, out of which 57 buildings had started functioning and 1,506 were under construction said Collector of Palnadu Siva Sankar Lotheti.

Also read- AP: Health Minister Vidadala Rajini Inspects Government Victoria Hospital