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Assam launches critical medical care scheme for children

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From Our Correspondent

Guwahati: Assam government has launched a new healthcare scheme that is meant for providing substantial financial assistance to children upto the age of 12 years who are suffering from some critical diseases that require expensive treatment.

The scheme called ‘Sneha Sparsha’ (Touch of Love) will be set on the roll from the Ist Bohag (April 15), the first day in Assamese almanac. The government has already allotted the required fund (Rs 5 crore) for the scheme under the State Plan for implementation in the current fiscal (2013-14).

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Bishwa Sharma informed that the scheme would cover children upto the age of 12 years from BPL families and the families with annual income upto Rs 2.5 lakh. He, however, said preference will be given to children from BPL families.

As per the scheme the state government will provide maximum Rs 10 lakh per patient requiring bone marrow transplant in any hospital in the country, Rs 10 lakh for liver transplant, Rs two lakh maximum for kidney transplant, Rs one lakh in maximum for treatment of blood cancer, Rs 50,000 in maximum for treatment of cancer requiring surgery, Rs three lakh aid to deaf and dumb children requiring cochlear implant (IC), Rs 15,000 maximum for retina replacement surgery, Rs 25,000 aid for solid brain tumour removal surgery, and Rs 50,000 aid to patient undergoing surgical correction of in born neurological anomaly.

He said the scheme would be in operation in addition to the similar on-going scheme for treatment of children suffering from congenital heart disorder. He also informed that Assam government was likely to sign and MoU with a leading hospital in the country facilitate liver transplant for such children free of cost.

The Assam government’s share of treatment cost will be paid to the hospital but not to the guardians of the patients.

However, in rare cases when the treatment had to be taken because of emergency before submission of application for aid from Assam government, money will be directly paid to guardian of the patient if it is informed within 15 days from undergoing the treatment and all the relevant documents are submitted.

The needy patients and guardians have to contact Dr Nirmal Bhatta, vice-principal and Dr Abhijit Sharma, deputy superintendent of Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) for getting the government aid which will be disbursed through the office of the GMCH.

The application for aid under the scheme will be received in GMCH in first week of every month and the money would be disbursed in the second week of every month. “Though the scheme will formally become effective from April 15, any patient from the target undergoing treatment for bone marrow transplant or liver transplant as on date will also be covered under the scheme,” the minister informed.

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