‘Jagan’s Initiative To Reduce Heart Strokes’

The YCP government has taken a bold step to improve the efficiency of YSR Arogyasri health scheme. It has decided to include ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treatment to save patients suffering from blockages in the heart and also prevent brain strokes, in YSR Arogyasri. These thrombolytic injections would prevent sudden deaths due to heart and brain storkes and help in immediate recovery by enabling clearance of the blockages in the heart’s lower chambers. Each injection costs nearly Rs 40,000, but would give a fresh lease of life, if administered to those patients requiring it. The pilot project has already been launched in Tirupati, Kurnool and VIzag.

These thrombolytic injections would prevent sudden deaths and help in immediate recovery by enabling clearance of the blockages in the heart’s lower chambers. Each injection costs nearly Rs 40,000, but would give a fresh lease of life, if administered to those patients requiring it. The pilot project has already been launched in Tirupati, Kurnool and Vizag.

The patients, even if based in remote areas, will be administered the injections under the guidance and monitoring of expert doctors through telemedicine. Selected personnel are being trained in administering the injection and under the supervision of expert cardiologists, they would be administered to the patients even when they are far away from the sophisticated health units. Timely administration of these injections would save many lives, said Dr Muneeshwar Reddy, nodal officer of the state.

MLA Dr Gopireddy Srinivas Reddy said in the last four years, the government has strengthened the medical sector in the state. As part of it, new clinics have been opened in rural areas to take medical treatment available to people in the remotest areas.

Several posts relating to the medical service providers like the technicians, personnel in the palliative care units, cardiology and cancer units have also been created to provide better service to the public. The YCP government spent nearly Rs 16,000 crore towards improving medical facilities in the already existing health facilities under the Nadu-Nedu programme.

The central government would also provide partial funding for the implementation of STEMI treatment. Along with Tirupati, pilot projects have been launched in Himachal Pradesh and Ludhiana too.