Insurance Medical Services (IMS), Andhra Pradesh will soon construct a 100-bed super speciality hospital for the employees and workers covered under the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

Disclosing this to press persons at a workshop on 'Medical service under ESI scheme', GVVSK Bhushanam, director, IMS said, that this initiative has been taken to provide single point medical services to the beneficiaries who often get confused when referred to super speciality hospitals. The Centre has already approved for the construction.

IMS has also got approvals for upgrading the existing 300-bed ESI hospital at Sanathnagar to 500-bed, ESI hospital Ramachandrapuram from 50-bed to 100-bed. Diagnostic centre at Chittivalsa (Srikakulam district) would be upgraded with 10 retention beds and a separate structure will be raised to accommodate 10 retention beds at Jeedimetla Diagnostic Centre, she said.

Currently, IMS provides health care services for basic ailments, disablement, maternity, and for injuries during employment apart from other family welfare and prevention services. Though it gives super speciality treatment patients are referred to NIMS (Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences), SVIMS (Sri Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Sciences) and Osmania Hospital and other eight super speciality hospitals for expert assistance.

According Bhushanam, all the ESI clinics and dispensaries in the state have been fully computerised. Training is being provided to staff for technological assistance in medical care with the help of APTS (Andhra Pradesh Technology Services). The technical staffs are also being trained in modern medicare at NIMS and SVIMS. During the year panel clinics were established in Bodhan, Armur, Pydi Bhimavaram, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Chimakurthi, Palakolu, Jugaiahpeta and Puttoor in the state.

New Nodal HIV/AIDS Centres have been started in Hyderabad, Nellore, Ananthapur, and Vizianagaram for easy accessibility for testing and counselling. The existing centres are located at Sanathnagar (Hyderabad), Nacharam (Ranga Reddy dist.), Adoni (Kurnool dist), Vijayawada (Krishan dist) and Visakhapatnam, she added. According to IMS 6532 tests have been conducted for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases of which 1421 have been diagnosed for STD and 124 were detected HIV positive. Currently, 153 patients are on ART (Anti Retroviral Treatment).

She further added, that a toll free helpline will be introduced and possibly the ESI Act will be amended to improve the medical services under ESI. As of now there are 11 ESI hospitals and 134 dispensaries are functioning in the state covering 40,67,010 beneficiaries and 6,77,835 insured persons. The workshop was organised by Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FAPCCI) women wing.