Establish CGHS office in Visakhapatnam, GVL urges union health minister

Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao on Wednesday met Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya and requested him to appoint an exclusive Additional Director for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) operations in Andhra Pradesh and locate this office in Visakhapatnam, as the highest number of CGHS beneficiaries are located in the port city.

Submitting a letter to the Union Minister at New Delhi, Narasimha Rao said that at present one Additional Director CGHS is posted in Hyderabad and is looking after CGHS operations both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, though the bifurcation of the State took place eight years ago.

All other southern States have their separate Additional Directors of CGHS. Lack of office in Andhra Pradesh had led to delays in provision of CGHS services to serving and retired Central government employees residing in Andhra Pradesh, he noted.

Seeking establishment of an exclusive CGHS office for Andhra Pradesh headed by an Additional Director rank officer, the MP observed that Visakhapatnam would be the right place as more than 120 Central government organisations are located in Visakhapatnam.

He also sought the setting up of two additional CGHS wellness centres in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam has only two CGHS wellness centres while the city has nearly 28,000 CGHS beneficiaries.

Taking the number of CGHS card holders and beneficiaries into account, he requested the Union Minister to sanction two more CGHS Wellness Centres for Visakhapatnam.

According to him, the Minister has responded positively. The Hindu