Aarogyasri

Lok Satta challenges Botsa for a debate

Hyderabad, Dec. 26 - The Lok Satta Party today charged the Government with enriching private and corporate hospitals by aggressively promoting "Rajiv Aarogyasri" and by quietly withdrawing from the health care sector in its bid to privatize it.

In a strong rejoinder to Housing Minister Botsa Satyanarayana taking exception to Lok Satta Party’s criticism of "Aarogyasri", party spokesman Karthik Chandra challenged the Minister for a public debate. Of the 7600 surgeries performed under "Aarogyasri" until December 1, 2007, 95 per cent had been done in private and corporate hospitals and that three hospitals groups cornered the lion's share of the insurance amounts.

Mr. Karthik Chandra said it was a matter of shame that the Government advertised the scheme as a boon to the poor by arranging for 7600 surgeries till now, ignoring the grim reality that every year six million people were sliding below the poverty line, most of them unable to pay for their medical care. "Aarogyasri" covers only a few rare ailments but not ailments like gastroenteritis, diarrhea, malaria, encephalitis and dengue and dog and snake bites that plague the common man most.

Mr. Karthik Chandra said "Aarogyasri" was nothing but "corporatesri" in that it was meant to benefit them and not the poor people.