West Godavari emerges top ranker in public healthcare services survey

VIJAYAWADA: West Godavari district has emerged as the No.1 performer out of 26 districts in Andhra Pradesh for government healthcare services, according to the Positive Public Perception survey conducted by the state govt. The survey was carried through IVRS to take real-time feedback from the public about various govt services. The chief secretary K Vijayanand complimented the district collector Chadalawada Nagarani for her decisive role in strengthening healthcare facilities and restoring people’s trust in public hospitals in the district. The chief secretary emphasized that West Godavari’s remarkable performance is the result of systematic monitoring and accountability measures introduced over the past year.

The district collector has been conducting periodical review meetings with the health department and personally carrying out frequent surprise inspections at government hospitals and primary health centres. “District collector Nagarani’s decision to take up surprise checks during night-time to verify attendance of doctors and staff through direct landline phone calls and physical inspection has significantly improved discipline and service reliability.

These steps have instilled confidence among people that government hospitals are dependable and patient friendly" said chief secretary. Significant improvements were made in hospital infrastructure across the district since Nagarani assumed charge as district collector. The Tanuku government hospital was upgraded with its own blood bank, while the Bhimavaram government hospital saw the establishment of a mother milk bank, making mother’s milk available to needy newborn children whose mothers cannot lactate.

This is the first mother milk unit in a govt hospital anywhere in the state.At the same time, the district administration supported the Indian Red Cross Society in setting up blood banks to serve thalassemia patients and weaker sections. For dialysis patients, a long-pending demand was met through the establishment of a dialysis centre at Akiveedu government hospital. “This success reflects the hard work of our doctors, nurses, and health staff.

Our effort is to make government hospitals the most trusted choice for the poor,” observed district collector Nagarani.*The IVRS survey gathered citizen feedback across four critical areas—doctor consultation, diagnostic facilities, free medicine supply, and staff behaviour.*More than 70 percent of respondents confirmed that doctors examined and provided treatment during their visits in West Godavari district.*Around 65 percent stated that required blood tests were conducted at the PHC or UPHC itself, though some rural centres still face gaps.*Nearly 72 percent said that they received essential medicines free of cost, reflecting efficient supply chain management. On staff behaviour, more than 75 percent of respondents described medical staff as courteous and supportive.