Date:18/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/18/stories/2008071852570300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Medical camps from today: Botcha

Correspondent

Minister inaugurates Rajiv Arogya Sri at Kaspa high school

Chronic patients in mandals will be identified at the camps
Over 800 diseases covered under the scheme

VIZIANAGARAM: Minister for Housing Botcha Satyanarayana inaugurated the ‘Rajiv Arogya Sri’ scheme at Municipal High School at Kaspa here on Thursday. The scheme benefits over 5.50 lakh BPL families in the district. He also inaugurated a mega medical camp at the school and the response to the camp was good.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Satyanarayana said that medical and health camps would also be conducted in mandals from Friday to identify chronic patients. In Vizianagaram town two or three more camps would be conducted shortly. The scheme would ensure treatment free of cost for 887 diseases, including surgery.

‘Allegation baseless’

Reacting to reports in a section of the press that the scheme was aimed at benefiting corporate hospitals in the State, the Minister said the Government would consider scrapping the scheme if the TDP leaders proved their charge and advised them to stop levelling baseless allegations to gain political mileage.

Mr. Satyanarayana asked people who are having pink ration cards and falling below the recently enhanced annual income of Rs.75000 in urban areas and Rs.60000 in rural areas to shift to white cards so that they too could avail themselves of the medical benefit under the scheme.

Detailing other welfare schemes, he appealed to people to “bless” the Government that had been implementing welfare schemes for the poor.

B. Appala Naidu, Zilla Parishad Chairperson, K. Veerabhadra Swamy, MLA, G. Srinivasulu Naidu, MLC, M. Geetha, municipal chairperson, and officials were present.