TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh has alleged that the State government failed in providing proper shelter to patients, which is evident from the way they are being treated under the shade of trees at Vijayapuri South Community Hospital in Macherla Assembly constituency in Palnadu district.
In a release on Saturday, Mr. Lokesh criticised that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s more than four years of “incompetence” had turned out to be a curse for the people.
“The government has neglected public health,” Mr. Lokesh said, and shared the photographs of the patients purportedly being treated under the shade of trees at the hospital.
“It is a matter of shame that medical services are being provided under trees in this government hospital, which is the sole healthcare facility available for the tribal communities in the Nallamala forest,” Mr. Lokesh said, and added that the hospital was also in the home district of Medical and Health Minister Vidadala Rajini.
Mr. Lokesh also questioned the state of healthcare in the remote tribal areas such as Alluri Sitharama Raju district.
Mr. Lokesh further alleged that essential medical supplies such as cotton and gauze were often unavailable even in teaching hospitals such as those in Kurnool and Anantapur.
“How can the Chief Minister claim that health services are being offered to people at their doorstep through programmes such as Arogya Suraksha when such dire conditions persist in the State,” he questioned.
‘Construction of new building under way’
Reacting to the report, the office of the Executive Engineer, APMSIDC Division, Guntur, said that construction of the Vijayapuri South PHC building in Palnadu district would be completed in a couple of months.
In a statement, the authorities said that more than 80% of the construction work was completed. They said that the old building had been demolished to construct the new one at a cost of ₹5.32 crore. The PHC was therefore shifted to another building, they said.
