The AP Chief Minister launched the pilot project of Aarogyasri health scheme in Andhra Pradesh on 3rd January.

The CM also released the Quick Response (QR) Code cards. Addressing the gathering the occasion, the Chief Minister said Aarogyasri health scheme has been extended to cover 2059 diseases, which was earlier limited to 1059 diseases and it would be applicable to all medical bills which exceed Rs.1000. All cancer ailments would be covered under the scheme from February 1. Chikungunya, sun stroke, malaria and typhoid have also been included in the scheme. The Chief Minister said that as promised before the General election, the scheme would be applicable to all families whose annual income is below Rs.5 lakh.

"A total of 1.42 crore cards would be issued and all of them would have QR code containing all the details of the scheme. Village Secretariats have been entrusted with the responsibility of issuing the cards," he said. From January 1, the government will ensure that all the government hospitals in the state are equipped with 510 varieties of medicines, which are of high quality and it would be ensured that all the hospitals maintain WHO standards. Patients who are on dialysis every month are being given a pension of Rs 10,000 and it would be extended to Thalasemia, Himophilia and Sikil Cell patients from February 1, he said. A pension of Rs.5,000 would also be provided to patients of Elephantiasis, paralysis and those suffering from muscular dysfunction. Leprosy patients would get a pension of Rs.3,000 from February 1. "Sanitary workers in hospitals used to get a salary of Rs 8,000 which would be enhanced to Rs.16,000 and all the 5,000 primary health centres in the state would be upgraded," the Chief Minister said.

He said that YSR Kanti Velugu programme would be taken up from February 1 for six months which would include eye tests, operations and provision of spectacles. Research centres would be established at Palasa and Markapuram for the benefit of those suffering from kidney ailments and the work would begin at the centres in a month. The Chief Minister said that sincere efforts are being made to set up medical colleges in Markapuram, Pidugurala, Machilipatnam, Paderu, Vizianagaram, Eluru and Pulivendula for which tenders would be called for in the next six weeks.