The most striking figure was a reported ninefold (892 percent) rise in neurological ailments believed to be connected to alcohol use. The findings lend weight to the TDP’s recurring claims that liquor quality deteriorated under the YSRCP regime.
Published May 12, 2025 | 8:12 PM ⚊ Updated May 12, 2025 | 8:12 PM
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Synopsis: A government-appointed panel in Andhra Pradesh has reported a sharp rise in alcohol-related health problems during the YSRCP regime between 2019 and 2024. The committee found a 105 percent increase in such cases, with neurological disorders rising by 892 percent, based on data from the Arogyasri health insurance scheme. The findings back the TDP’s repeated allegations that liquor quality worsened under the YSRCP government.
Andhra Pradesh witnessed a sharp rise in alcohol-related health conditions during the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party’s (YSRCP) term in office between 2019 and 2024, according to a state-appointed expert committee.
The panel, formed after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) returned to power in 2024, claimed a 105 percent increase in cases linked to alcohol-related liver, kidney, and neurological conditions.
Comparison of alcohol-related health cases between TDP’s previous term and the YSRCP’s term.
The most striking figure was a reported ninefold (892 percent) rise in neurological ailments believed to be connected to alcohol use.
These figures were made public in a press release issued by the Department of Health. The findings lend weight to the TDP’s recurring claims that liquor quality deteriorated under the YSRCP regime.
The three-member committee was tasked with identifying medical conditions associated with alcohol use and comparing their prevalence during the TDP’s earlier term (2014–2019) and the YSRCP’s tenure (2019–2024). The data was sourced from the Arogyasri health insurance database.
“The Government of Andhra Pradesh has appointed an expert committee to understand what diseases could correlate to alcohol consumption,” said Krishna Babu, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Health.
“Subsequently, data was acquired through the Arogyasri database, and we found a startling increase in the number of liver and neurological patients in 2019–24 compared to 2014–19. We are quite concerned and we are analysing the data for further action.”
According to the press release, cases of alcohol-related liver ailments rose by 109 percent. Between 2014 and 2019, there were 14,026 cases (11,764 male and 2,262 female). During the YSRCP’s tenure, this figure rose to 29,369 (24,519 male and 4,850 female).
Kidney-related ailments also saw a marked rise, from 49,060 cases in the TDP period to 90,385 under YSRCP. The number of male patients increased from 36,207 to 64,872.
The most dramatic rise was seen in neurological disorders linked to alcohol, which reportedly increased from 1,276 cases (966 male and 310 female) to 12,633 (8,810 male and 3,823 female) – an 892 percent increase overall.
The data presented shows that most affected individuals were between 35 and 54 years of age.
Meanwhile, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district recorded the highest number of alcohol-related cases overall, except for liver-related ailments during the YSRCP term, when it ranked second.
In total, Nellore district alone accounted for 11,625 cases (8.78 percent) during the YSRCP’s rule, up from 7,945 during the TDP’s earlier term.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
