Vijayawada, April 17: Andhra Pradesh Governor Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan inaugurated the ‘Revision Knee Replacement Block’ at Sai Bhaskar Hospitals’ in Guntur on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sri Harichandan has said that the ‘Aarogyasri’ health scheme, the State government’s flagship health care programme has proven to be a boon to the poor people and downtrodden sections of the society.
The Governor said that the ‘Aarogyasri’ health care programme, part of Dr. YSR Aarogyasri Health Insurance Scheme, was aimed at achieving universal health coverage for all BPL families and it is a pioneering scheme in providing accountable and evidence-based good-quality health-care services in the State, for the benefit of poor families and liberating them from unaffordable medical expenditure.
Governor Sri Harichandan interacted with the patients at the hospital who availed the benefit under the ‘Aarogyasri’, ‘Aarogya Asara’ and EHS scheme, and Aarogya Mitra team, who extend help to patients seeking medical treatment under the scheme.
He praised the services provided by Dr. B. Narendra Reddy, a leading knee replacement surgeon in South India, to the poor people through Unnathi Foundation, by donating implants used in knee replacement surgeries worth Rs.25 lakh free of cost to government hospitals and also personally performing the surgeries, totally free of cost to the beneficiaries.
The Governor said that he was happy to know that Dr. Narendra Reddy has successfully completed 100 free knee replacement surgeries in Guntur General Hospital and also holds the Guinness World Record for performing ten free knee replacement surgeries in a single day in Guntur General Hospital, on the occasion of World Arthritis Day.
Later, during an interaction with the media, Governor Sri Harichandan said he was impressed with the services provided by Dr. Narendra Reddy to the poor people and said ‘service to society is service to God’ and not only doctors but politicians, public representatives and all sensible people of the society should come forward to work for the welfare of the persons who are neglected in the society. He further said that media has a great role in highlighting these issues because they know what is happening in the society and the government and bring everything to the notice of the people, so that awareness is created among the people about their duties and responsibilities.
Sri Meruga Nagarjuna, Minister for Social Welfare, Sri Ambati Rambabu, Minister for Irrigation, Sri A. Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP, Smt. Shaik Sajeela, Deputy Mayor, Sri M. Venugopal Reddy, District Collector, Dr. B. Narendra Reddy, Chairman and Dr. Deepthi Reddy, Director of Sai Bhaskar Hospitals, Dr. B. Malleswara Reddy, Chairman, BMR Hospitals, were among those present on the occasion.
