Sishu Sathi scheme: Over 1,600 kids undergo heart surgeries free-of-cost
Kolkata: Around 1,623 children have undergone critical heart surgeries in the past one year at free of cost both at government-run and private hospitals under the 'Sishu Sathi' scheme, a brain child of the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
According to sources, among the government hospitals, the SSKM Hospital conducted around 115 heart surgeries of children under 'Sishu Sathi' scheme in the past one year.
NRS Medical College and Hospital performed 62 such surgeries, Calcutta Medical College 21 and RG Kar Medical College 6. Around 1,419 heart surgeries have been performed by various private hospitals in the state.
According to government sources, this scheme has brought down the infant mortality rate in the past one year. Over 1,600 children having septal defects have been operated on at free of costs. After coming to power, Banerjee had taken several initiatives to improve health infrastructure in all the state run hospitals and announced various new schemes.
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 governmental hospitals that have paediatric facilities and some other private hospitals.
Under this scheme, the operation is absolutely free and the state health department bears the entire expenses of the project. After the introduction of the scheme, thousands of patients from the rural areas – especially those belonging to the BPL category – have benefitted immensely. All government hospitals, including the SSKM Hospital and some other private hospitals have been performing heart surgeries under the scheme on a regular basis, as a result of which thousands of poor patients have got free treatment.
The state government tied up with other private hospitals, including RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, BM Birla Heart Research Centre and Durgapur Mission Hospital to reach out to more people.
Committees were formed to scrutinize the application forms of patients and determine which children really require heart surgery under this scheme and refer them to the hospitals.
