Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has provided free-of-cost treatment to more than 63,000 children suffering from various ailments, including congenital heart diseases, under the “Sishu Sathi” scheme. The state government has already spent more than
Rs 300 crore to ensure the children get proper treatment under this scheme, which was launched in 2013.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself made the announcement on social media on Thursday. In a post on X, she stated: “GoWB is always committed for best health care for our children. “Sishu Saathi” program, a flagship initiative launched on 2013, has provided free of cost treatment for Congenital Heart Disease, Cleft Lip/Palate, Clubfoot and Neural Tube Defect to 63,000+ children with expenditure of Rs. 300 Cr+ to ensure no child is left behind!”
The state government introduced Sishu Sathi in August 2013, under which children till the age of twelve with congenital heart defects are treated free of cost at all government hospitals that have paediatric facilities and some other private hospitals. Under this scheme, the operation is free and the state health department bears the entire expenses of the project. After the introduction of the scheme, thousands of patients from rural areas have benefited immensely. All government hospitals and some other private hospitals have been performing heart surgeries under the scheme.
According to government sources, this scheme has brought down the infant mortality rate in the past one year. After coming to power, Banerjee had taken several initiatives to improve health infrastructure in all the state-run hospitals and announced various new schemes.
It was earlier alleged that the Centre stopped providing funds for the ‘Sishu Sathi’ scheme, prompting the Bengal Chief Minister to allot emergency funds to run the scheme that entitles children to undergo critical heart surgeries free of cost.