AP govt withdraws 'NTR Vaidya Seva' for poor, continues to serve politicians

The AP government has withdrawn NTR Vaidya Seva cover for poor patients who avail medical treatment in Hyderabad hospitals.But the medical treatment of legislators, Legislative Council members and government employees in Hyderabad hospitals including the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences continues to be covered by the AP government.

Nims medical superintendent N. Satyanarayana said, "We are not rendering services to BPL patients as the AP government stopped NTR Vaidya Seva in Hyderabad hospitals. The VIP ward is continuing to cater to MLAs, ex-MLAs and MLCs from Andhra Pradesh." NTR Vaidya Seva is the AP version of the previous Arogyasri scheme.

He said the hospital had not received orders to stop services to the AP VIPs and government employees. He said the medical bills of AP legislators was being reimbursed by the AP Legislative department. It is estimated that around 12 lakh people with BPL cards, who are covered by NTR Vaidya Seva, live in Hyderabad. They, and the beneficiaries in AP, are deprived of treatment in Hyderabad hospitals. Asked about this, AP Legislature special secretary P.P.K. Ramacharyulu said, "MLAs and former MLAs pay their bills when they get treated in Hyderabad hospitals and the Legislative Secretariat reimburses them. We have been receiving several bills from Hyderabad hospitals including Nims. The reimbursement is entirely different from NTR Vaidya Seva for BPL families and for state government employees. We can't compare them."