Port Blair, Jan 12: Mr. Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has written a letter to Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India requesting him to consider the hospitals of Andra Pradesh and Telengana for medical treatment of Islanders  under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna and ANISHI Scheme.

Mr. Ajoy Bairagi has informed the Minister that  more than 16% of the total population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprises of the Telugu Community who hails from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He further added that because of lack specialised treatment in Islands currently two schemes formulated by the Central Govt. are functional in the Islands which covers 70% of the total population of the Islands.

He further added that a large number of hospitals are empaneled under the scheme but most of the hospitals are from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and none are from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He further added that because of non-availability of empaneled hospitals in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana the Telugu Community of the Islands are facing a lot of hardships owing to language issues. He further added that if hospitals are empaneled in their home state all their problems of language and accommodation will be solved.

He requested the Union Minister to include some hospital of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna and ANISHI Scheme for the benefit of the Telugu Community of the Islands.