Andhra nursing home association urges government to relax norms for setting up of hospitals in rural areas

Andhra Pradesh Nursing Homes Association’s (APNA) Vizianagaram district president B. Mahendra Giri urged the government to relax norms for the establishment of new hospitals in rural areas. He said many doctors would construct hospitals in mandal headquarters and other places if NTR Vaidyaseva (Aarogyasri) scheme was extended to 20 bedded hospitals also.

Speaking to The Hindu in Vizianagaram, he said the government is extending the scheme to only 50 bedded hospitals which might not be viable in rural areas as the inpatient number would be less in those places.

He has also requested the government to extend the scheme for single departments such as gynecology, orthopedic and others. Currently, the government allows only ophthalmology as a single department to avail the scheme.

“The government is planning to extend the scheme in a hybrid model hereafter. The norms can be changed to extend better medical facilities in rural areas also. It is also requested to frame guidelines to minimise the expenditure on collection of bio-wastage by private agencies which are collecting the amount on the basis of beds instead of the quantity of the garbage,” said Dr. Mahendra Giri.