Sanjeevani a ‘game changer’ for tribal healthcare: Naidu
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday termed the State government’s Sanjeevani healthcare initiative a “game changer” for people living in remote tribal areas.
Naidu, along with Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav, launched the pilot programme at Gannela panchayat in Araku Valley mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district. Gannela is the fourth location in the State to get the pilot, after Kuppam, Giddalur and Alur.
Addressing a gathering at Gannela, Naidu said Sanjeevani would use technology and specialist medical expertise to provide advanced healthcare to tribal communities without requiring them to travel long distances.
“Tribal people generally travel to Paderu or King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam for advanced medical services. With Sanjeevani, the best available doctors from across the country and the world can be made accessible to them through video consultations and advanced technology,” he said.
He said the programme would help detect health problems early and enable timely treatment.
Naidu said 21 primary health centres in the district’s two Assembly constituencies had been connected to the Sanjeevani network. He also proposed using drones to transport medical samples from remote areas to diagnostic centres at Paderu.
“The government will provide drones to all PHCs within three months,” he said. Earlier, he reviewed a demonstration of the drone-based sample transportation system at Gannela PHC.
Test reports would be sent to patients’ mobile phones, after which medical officials would provide further consultation and free medicines, he said.
Under the ‘Adivasi Thalli Bata’ programme, the government has taken up road works in tribal areas at an estimated cost of ₹1,000 crore, Naidu said.
More than 905 km of roads have been developed, while the remaining unconnected tribal habitations would also be linked by road, he said.
The government would provide tap water and rooftop solar power connections to around 1.60 lakh tribal households. It would also set up additional mobile towers to improve connectivity in remote areas.
Naidu asked officials to identify crops that could provide better returns to tribal households. He also highlighted tourism as a source of employment and income and urged residents to promote homestays.
Naidu reiterated the NDA government’s commitment to restoring G.O. No. 3, which mandated 100% reservation in government jobs for local tribal people before the Supreme Court struck it down.
He alleged that the previous YSRCP government had failed to put forward the case effectively before the court.
“I have been discussing the issue with several experts. We have to approach the courts again. We will come up with a comprehensive plan to ensure that G.O. 3 is brought back,” he said.