COVID-19: Andhra Pradesh govt buys more mobile medical units to bring medical services to doorstep

Amaravati, July 03: The Andhra Pradesh government is purchasing 539 new mobile medical units (MMUs), in addition to the existing 676, at a cost of Rs 89.72 crore to drive the family physician concept in conjunction with the 1,145 primary health centres (PHCs).

Till July last year, there was one MMU for every 2.27 mandals in the state, covering a population of 1,30,136. With the addition of 539 new vehicles, every mandal will have a mobile medical unit to cover a population of 56,213.

Each PHC has two doctors, both of whom will tour villages under their jurisdiction in turns, in the MMUs and render medical services to villagers.

"For each doctor, the villages (to be covered) and the route have been fixed. About 70-80 per cent villages will have at least three visits by the PHC doctor in a month and the rest will have at least two," Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar.

Bhaskar told news agency that the doctors would attend on bedridden patients and pregnant women, besides other needy people, in the villages and provide medicare right at their doorsteps. While one doctor would be on the move, the other would be attending to outpatient services in the PHC.

The government also appointed three staff nurses and mid-level health practitioners in the PHCs for patient care. The MLHPs were trained to conduct necessary diagnostic tests and prescribe medicines. The government is also building village clinics with required infrastructure to expand medicare services upto the grassroots level.

Besides the visiting doctors, the MLHPs and ASHA workers will render their services to the villagers. This apart, the government recruited gynaecologists to cover 12 PHCs in a week and offer specialist services to women patients.

Now, doctors in ENT, dental and psychiatry are also being recruited to offer specialist medicare right in the villages. In all, 100 specialists will soon be in place to cover six disciplines. Bhaskar said by next year the number of specialties would be increased to 12.