Andhra Pradesh: Online services at ESI dispensary launched

Vijayawada: For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, online medical services were introduced at the Employees State Insurance (ESI) hospital's dispensary here on Monday.

Inaugurating the online service, Labour Minister Gummanuru Jayaram said that 2,434 ailments were brought under Arogyasri and enhanced the limit to Rs 5 lakh for providing better medical services to the people and also employees.

He said the ESI dispensary at Gunadala in the city stood first in providing online medical services to the labourers. The minister exhorted the medical personnel to provide better services to the employees with love and affection.

According to him, 2.5 crore labourers and their families in the State depend upon the medical services of the ESI. The minister said that all the 78 dispensaries and four ESI hospitals would be developed fully in the coming days. Principal Secretary B Udayalakshmi said that as part of the Dhanvantari Panchdeep scheme the ESI dispensary here is extending online service to provide better medical help to the employees. The software of the hospital was also upgraded keeping in view the latest development.

A special app was developed for the ESI subscribers to secure appointments with the doctors. She said that the 43,000 subscribers under the limits of ESI hospital here could get medical services. If the subscribers purchase medicine outside, they could be reimbursed through the online medical service. Moreover, they could get medical leave certificates online, she said.

ESI director SB Ravikumar, regional director V Kasinath, joint directors Dr Jagadish Gandhi, Dr Chandrasekhar, Dr B Ravikumar, medical superintendents, ESI hospital doctors, officials, staff and subscribers were present.