Below 18 years children's of Tripura will get free treatment outside the state if they have congenital physical anomalies
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, Updated: May 17, 2024, 05:43:38 AM
Children and adolescents of Tripura up to the age of eighteen will be provided with free medical services for surgery for cleft lip and palate, clubfoot, congenital heart disease, neural tube defect, hearing impairment. The state government announced this free medical service under the central government's Bal Swasthya Seva Scheme yesterday. Officials of the State Health Mission announced the launch of this program in a press conference at the Secretariat yesterday. Earlier this scheme was running in the state, but there was no government help if anyone went for treatment outside the state hospitals. But this time, several hospitals from outside the state have been included as referal hospital in the newly announced scheme. The State Health Mission has signed MOU with several hospitals outside the state under this programme. Before that, however, GBP, TMC and Dr. BR Ambedkar Teaching Hospital used to provide free medical treatment to physically ill children and adolescents up to the age of eighteen years under this scheme.
It is known that according to yesterday's announcement, from now on, the state government will bear all the expenses of treatment even if they go to Chennai Apollo Children's Hospital, Kolkata Medica Super Specialty Hospital, Shija Hospital and Research Center in Manipur.
Guwahati's Mission Smile for cleft palate surgery, Agartala ILS for hearing aid, Mumbai's Anushka Foundation Hospital for treatment of crooked feet have also been empeneld. In addition to the cost of free treatment, the Tripura government will also pay 10,000 rupees for transportation of the patients. Tripura Health Mission Director Rajib Dutta spoke details about this in a press conference convened in Mahakaran on Thursday. He said that this scheme was launched in 2014. Since 2015, the children and teenagers of the state are also able to take advantage of its opportunities.
The NHM Mission Director Shri Dutta said a total of 48 dedicated mobile health teams are working across the state in the National Child Health Programme. This dedicated mobile health team is screening children from zero to 6 years of age at Anganwadi centers and screening children from 6 to 18 years of age at government-aided schools. Rashtriya Child Health Program has three District Early Intervention Centers in Gomati, Dhalai and Unakoti districts of the state where expertly trained doctors and paramedical staff treat children suffering from congenital and developmental disorders.
The NHM Mission Director Shri Dutta also informed that since 2015 till date more than 900 cleft lip and palate, 600 congenital heart disease, 350 clubfoot, 100 visually impaired children and 400 clubfoot patients have been treated free of cost under this scheme. Shri Dutta also said that 800 hearing aids have been distributed free of cost to children with congenital hearing impairment in the state. On this day, the Mission Director also said that in the financial year 2023-24, 4 lakh 5 thousand 521 children were examined in the Anganwadi centers, 4 lakh 6 thousand 161 school students were examined for birth defects, various physical deficiencies, developmental defects and childhood diseases. During the financial year 2023-24, a total of 91 children with congenital heart disease underwent free surgery in several hospitals in the state and outside the state. Also 141 cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries were performed. 105 club foot patients were fixed. 73 hearing aids were distributed. 4 neural tube defect children were operated on and 67 children with autism were treated. Another 32 thousand 787 children with other diseases were treated. 2 thousand 203 children have been treated in the District Intervention Centers of Dhalai, Unakoti and Gomati districts. Director of Health Department Sanjib Debbarma, director of family planning and disease prevention department Anjan Das, Joint Director of National Health Mission Binaybhushan Das, State Nodal Officer of the scheme Dr. Sanjay Rudrapal and others were present during the press conference.
(Tripurainfo)