The Andhra Pradesh government is committed to improving public health and providing medical assistance to the needy people, according to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He was speaking at Anantapur on Thursday after launching the “YSR Kanti Velugu” programme intended to screen the school children both in public and private schools for vision defects and providing treatment free of cost.

He said the programme would be taken up in two phases and it would be completed by the end of the year and then from 2020 it would be extended to the general public, again in phases. Ultimately, he said, all the 5.4 crore people in 13 districts would be screened and spectacles would be provided free of cost, depending on the need. Operations would also be conducted and the State Government has allocated budget of more than ₹500 crore for the programme. He said it was estimated that roughly 2 crore people in the State were suffering from some vision defect and it was the objective of the government to provide free medical treatment to them and prevent the onset of total or partial blindness.

He said his government was taking all steps to improve YSR Arogyasri and also to provide medical treatment to the poorer sections. More medical colleges are being set up and kidney research and treatment centres are being set up at Palasa in Srikakulam district and Markapuram in Prakasam district.

He said the previous government had completely neglected public health and his Government was focusing on improving the public health services.

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