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Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief Protests Over Unpaid Health Scheme Dues

Vijayawada, India – October 22, 2025 – Y.S. Sharmila, President of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), staged a dramatic protest in Vijayawada today, demanding the immediate release of ₹2,700 crore (approximately $325 million USD) in overdue payments to hospitals participating in the Aarogyasri health scheme. The protest, held at Andhra Ratna Bhavan, saw Ms. Sharmila standing in the rain alongside a stretcher, symbolizing the plight of patients affected by the suspension of services.

According to Sharmila, private hospitals have halted Aarogyasri services for the past two weeks due to the unpaid dues, leaving thousands of patients without access to critical healthcare. She warned that if the TDP-led NDA government fails to address the issue promptly, she will embark on an indefinite hunger strike.

“The TDP-led NDA government has turned Aarogyasri into ‘Anarogyasri’,” Sharmila stated, accusing the government of neglecting the health of the state’s poor. She contrasted the current administration’s actions with those of her late father, former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who launched Aarogyasri and was widely regarded as a champion of the poor. “While former Chief Minister of undivided State Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy became a God of the poor by launching Aarogyasri, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has become a demon by stopping it. Call it NTR Health Scheme or Nara Health Services, but continue the scheme and release the funds,” she said.

The APCC President claims that approximately 8,000 cases are registered under Aarogyasri daily in Andhra Pradesh. The suspension of services, she argued, is resulting in patients being turned away from hospitals, and she believes the government is deliberately attempting to dismantle the vital health scheme. Sharmila vowed that the Congress party will not remain silent on the matter. The protest highlights the ongoing debate surrounding healthcare access and funding in Andhra Pradesh.

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