The Andhra Pradesh healthcare sector is teetering on the brink, as the President of the Andhra Pradesh Speciality Hospitals Association (ASHA), K. Vijay Kumar, made an impassioned plea to the government on Saturday, September 20. He urged immediate action to clear outstanding bills totaling a staggering ₹2000 crore under the NTR Vaidya Seva scheme, emphasizing that this is crucial to safeguarding the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
An alarming number of small and medium-sized hospitals are grappling with a severe financial crisis, directly attributed to the prolonged delay in receiving these payments. Dr. Vijaya Kumar, following discussions with hospital managements across the North Andhra region, shed light on the dire consequences, particularly the unfortunate halt in outpatient treatments provided under the scheme.
‘The unpaid dues, accumulating over the past 18 months, have delivered a significant blow to hospitals statewide,’ he stated. ‘Managements of over 600 hospitals are struggling to pay their doctors and medical staff. If hospitals cannot maintain national standards due to financial constraints, the quality of healthcare will inevitably suffer. It is imperative that the government addresses this issue with a clear, time-bound plan to settle all outstanding amounts.’
Further compounding the problem, the government has not updated the fee structures for various treatment procedures in seven years. During this period, the number of covered procedures has skyrocketed from 800 to an astounding 3200, while the NTR Vaidya Seva scheme now serves approximately 1.65 crore people. This disparity leaves hospitals, especially those in rural and semi-urban areas, unable to invest in crucial facility upgrades without timely government payments. Dr. Kumar stressed the urgency: ‘The government must convene a meeting with all stakeholders immediately to resolve these critical issues. This will not only ensure improved healthcare for millions of patients but also allow hospital managements to pay their dedicated staff promptly.’