South 24-Pgns: Swasthya Sathi gives fresh lease of life to 32-year-old man

Kolkata: At a time when Bengal Chief Minister is sending across a clear message that Swasthya Sathi refusal case will not be tolerated and action will taken against those hospitals which will be found to have refused patients under Swasthya Sathi, a 32-year-old youth from South 24-Parganas has been given a fresh lease of life under state government's flagship project, Swasthya Sathi.

The patient availed critical spine surgery from a private hospital in the city under Swasthya Sathi. There have been instances where treatment under Swasthya Sathi have been refused but there are some hospitals which are carrying out critical surgeries on patients.

The patient Md Ataur Laskar had been facing difficulties in walking for a long time.

He had a tumor on his spinal cord.

The patient finally went to a government hospital in the city where an MRI was

performed on him.

Doctors found that he had a huge tumor on the spinal cord and it required immediate surgery.

There was a long queue in the government hospital. Hence the patient went to a private hospital in the city. By the time the patient was taken to the private hospital, he became wheelchair-dependent.

As the patient or his family members had no funds to get the surgery done from the private hospital, they told the hospital that they have Swasthya Sathi card.

The hospital acted promptly and conducted the critical surgery thereby removing the large tumor.

The surgery lasted for around 5 hours and the patient has shown significant improvement after the surgery. He has been released from the hospital with some special advice from the doctors.

He will have to come to the hospital for a check up in a few days. The patient is able to walk now, sources in the hospital said.