Services under Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva in all private network hospitals in Andhra Pradesh to stop from April 7-OxBig News Network

All cashless health services being offered to the public in private network hospitals under Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva in Andhra Pradesh are discontinued from Monday (April 7, 2025), as the hospitals have not yet received dues, amounting to around ₹3,200 crore, from the State government.

The services are availed of by many families falling in the category of Below Poverty Line. The dues, pending from the time of YSRCP government, have been piling up, reaching ₹3,500 crore in the TDP-led NDA government. A week ago, the government released ₹300 crore, according to the A.P. Speciality Hospitals’ Association.

Also Read | NTR Vaidya Seva: association seeks release of pending dues to network hospitals

The association members had written a letter to the government in March first week stating their decision to discontinue the services from April 7 and requesting that dues be cleared immediately. They wrote that monthly operational expenses were also not paid.

“Despite our best efforts to continue serving the BPL population and support the State government’s healthcare initiatives, the financial strain has made it unsustainable for us to function,” the letter read.

Also Read | A.P. govt. announces release of ₹500 cr. for Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva scheme

But, the government has not made any assurances, said the association president, K. Vijay Kumar. “On April 5, we had a virtual meeting with Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva CEO P. Ravi Subash. He told us he was trying his best to get ₹600 crore released in a week. But there was no assurance from him on that. Therefore, we have no option but to discontinue the services,” Dr. Vijay Kumar said, adding that there has been no response from other government officials too.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y.S. Sharmila lashed at the government for not taking responsibility of clearing the dues. The government’s apathy towards Aarogyasri scheme (now Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva) reflects in its silence on the issue, she said.

“It does not matter which government left behind unpaid dues. Now that you (NDA) are in power, you should clear them,” she wrote in a post on social media platform X on Monday.

She said if any person dies after being denied treatment at a network hospital, it would be considered a murder by the State government. The Congress leader demanded that the government immediately call doctors for talks for resolving the issue.