NE NEWS SERVICE
AMARAVATI, APRIL 20
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held video conference with district Collectors and Muslim religious leaders on the measures being taken to contain COVID-19.
The Chief Minister thanked the religious leaders for accepting his request to send a message to hold prayers from home.
He also said that the assured allowance would be paid to all places of worship, including mosques, churches and temples.
జిల్లా కలెక్టర్లు, ముస్లిం మత పెద్దలతో సీఎం శ్రీ వైయస్.జగన్ వీడియో కాన్ఫరెన్స్.
ఇళ్లల్లోనే రంజాన్ ప్రార్థనలు చేసుకోవాలని సీఎం విజ్ఞప్తి. ఈ మేరకు అందరికీ చెప్పాలంటూ ముస్లిం మత పెద్దలను కోరిన సీఎం. pic.twitter.com/HAGeKZIJ21
— CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) April 20, 2020
During a video conference here on Monday, the instructed officials to implement strict lockdown across the State and maintain social distancing.
“In order to control the spread, precautionary measures in all 13 districts, the Chief Minister further stated that the government is going to provide incentives to all the listed and recognized mosques across the State.
In addition to this, one time special financial assistance of Rs. 5000 to religious service renderers (archaks, imams, moazzam & pastors) of religious institutions in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
“State government is very much committed to public welfare and thus providing financial assistance to all the eligible members in this severe pandemic situation. Each family was given Rs 1000 and the ration is also being provided thrice in a month. All the pending dues of fee reimbursements which were about Rs 1800 crore will also be cleared,’’ the chief minister said.
Good response to YSR Telemedicine programme
Dr YSR Telemedicine programme, launched recently has been receiving good response from all sections of the public across the State.
In a span of four days, as many as 8243 members have made calls and 4732 of them have availed medical assistance from the doctors regarding ailments during the times of COVID-19.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched this initiative in order to provide medical assistance by connecting the public with doctors. As of now 286 doctors of varying specialties have registered with YSR Telemedicine services.
For availing telemedicine services, the public are advised to give a missed call to 14410 and the doctors on board will get back to the callers either through voice or video calls.
During this lockdown, telemedicine services have become handy to a majority of the public including those non-symptomatic patients of COVID-19. Under medical assistance, people with symptoms of the pandemic or those who are suffering from other health disorders will get prescription and the medication and healthcare staff will door deliver the medicines to the patients. The services are available from 8 a.m.to 6 p.m. daily.
Kudos to team for fair deal in test kits purchase, says Jagan
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy congratulated the officials of the medical and health department in placing an order for the purchase of the rapid test kits in a transparent and fair manner with an aim to reducing the financial burden on the government.
Though the test kits were badly needed for conducting tests for COVID-19, the Central government could not provide them and asked the states to purchase them on their own from the country of their choice. Under the circumstances, the state medical and health department placed an order with a company approved by the ICMR which has fixed Rs 795 as purchase price. But the State has quoted Rs 65 less than the fixed price, the Chief Minister said.
It was clearly mentioned in terms that if the Company sells kits even at a lower price, we too will be paying the same price.
So far only 25% of the payment has been made without any scope for corruption. The kits were being manufactured only in foreign countries when the order was placed by the government. But now the same company is manufacturing the kits in India for which the ICMR has given permission.
With this the rate of the kit has come down and the company will reduce the rate of the kits purchased by the state as per the agreement, the Chief Minister said and complimented the health department for making a fair deal in the matter.
Meanwhile, Minister for Health Alla Nani said TDP and BJP state chief Kanna Laxminarayana have been levelling false allegations on the issue.
Speaking to media here on Monday, the Minister said the state government has made an agreement with South Korean company for the purchase of 1 lakh rapid testing kits at Rs 730 per unit a whereas, ICMR fixed the purchase price at Rs 795 per unit.
On measures to contain COVID-19, he said a comprehensive family survey has been conducted three times, PPEs and N-95 masks are available to meet the demand.
He said that the agreement with South Korean company also reads that if the testing kits were sold at a lower price than Rs 730, the varied amount should be paid to the government, the minister said.
