Health Minister Saurabh Gaur has appealed to primary care doctors to immediately resume their duties in the interest of public health and says the government is positively considering demands for tribal allowances, notional increments and other benefits. File | Photo credit: KVS GIRI
To ensure accountability and measurable progress in public health services, Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has introduced a new performance appraisal initiative for all 10 departments under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Mr. Satya Kumar asked the department heads to self-assess their performance in the first six months of the current financial year (April-September 2025) and provide detailed feedback based on 20 key parameters.
These include improving health care delivery, problem solving, creating new infrastructure, recruiting medical staff, advancing outpatient and inpatient services, diagnostic facilities, physician and staff attendance, budgeting, and introducing new health services.
Mr Satya Kumar says each department must objectively review its performance – whether it was strong, satisfactory or needs improvement – and identify both successes and bottlenecks.
The collected data will serve as a basis for a comprehensive half-yearly evaluation of the functioning of the health department.
The minister insists that clear performance metrics are essential to measure results, adding that feedback from officials themselves will promote transparency and ownership of the system. Based on these reports, a review meeting is expected to take place soon.
Advice for primary care doctors
Meanwhile, Health Minister Saurabh Gaur has appealed to Primary Health Center (PHC) doctors to resume their duties immediately in the interest of public health.
During a meeting with leaders of the Association of Primary Health Care Doctors held at the State Secretariat on Friday, Mr. Gaur confirmed that the government is ready to issue a GO introducing 20% PG quota for medical practice this year for all specialty courses as promised earlier.
He warned that doctors shirking primary health care duties were harming health care delivery in rural areas and assured that the government was positively considering demands for tribal allowances, notional increments and other service-related benefits.
On future policy, Mr. Gaur said the government would take a comprehensive decision by November on the continuation and share of quota for employees from the academic year 2026-27 onwards.
Representatives of doctors’ associations will also be included in the policy formulation process, he added.
The discussion lasted an hour and was described as “constructive”, reflecting the government’s focus on balancing medical service responsibilities with career development opportunities for doctors.
Published – 17 Oct 2025 21:25 IST
