CM's Sishu Sathi scheme gives fresh lease of life to 5-year-old

Parents of five-year-old Rishin Banerjee, a patient of heart ailment, could never imagine that their son would run, play and sing with his friends and neighbours and would be able to attend school regularly like any other normal child. Thanks to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who has given the kid a new lease of life.

Funds for the critical heart surgery was provided by the state government under Sishu Sathi scheme.

Rishin, who was like any other normal child a year ago, suddenly fell ill and his food intake dropped along with a breathing difficulty. During the next few days, his face turned pale and he felt profound pain in the chest. He was found to be suffering from Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). The doctors initially gave medicines and finally, decided to conduct a surgery. His parents, who come from a middle-class background, found it difficult to carry on with the treatment because of huge financial constraints. They approached Khushir Diya, a state government registered NGO working with children with financially challenged backgrounds.

Aneendya Shankar Mazumdar, managing secretary of Khushir Diya, approached the state government for financial assistance.

Rishin was admitted to a private hospital in South Kolkata and the Ventricular Septal defect was successfully closed with a 5mmx 4mm Amplatzer Duct Occluder II device.

Successful coil closure of PDA with 5x5mm flipper detachable coil was also fixed.

Rishin is now stable and out of danger and has been released from the hospital. "We are grateful to Mamata Banerjee whose support has given our son a new lease of life."

Under Sishu Sathi scheme, a brain child of Mamata Banerjee, children suffering from heart ailments are given full financial assistance by the state government irrespective of their financial condition. If the surgery is conducted in state-run hospitals it is totally free. But to assist the families, the state government has tied up with three private hospitals, of which two are in Kolkata, namely, BM Birla Heart Research Centre, RN Tagore Institute of Cardiac Sciences and Mission Institute in Durgapur. Under the scheme, the state government conducts health tests in state-run schools to detect heart ailments.

The state government gives full support to children up to the age of 12 years.

After coming to power in 2011, Mamata Banerjee took up the matter with the state health department and introduced the scheme.